The Bear

Chapter 21: Redemption

I was sitting on the dock, desultorily pitching a little pile of pebbles into the sea, one at a time. I had a lot to think about. Edward and I had spent the past two days listening to the recordings and videos that Stella played for us concerning the ins and outs of Walalo-ing. We weren't even a quarter of the way through the information Leah had left, but I needed a break. The information was overwhelming, and I had to digest some of the things I had heard and seen.

I wasn't getting very far. I had started with a pretty good-sized pile of pebbles that I had collected as I walked down from our cottage and was almost to the end of them, and still hadn't decided what I wanted to do. I sort of liked the idea of having a purpose in life, something to protect and honor. But would the Quileute want me? I highly doubted it. I wasn't raised among them, for one, but the biggest issue was that I was now a vampire, their mortal enemy. I couldn't be their Walalo if they didn't want me to be, and I certainly didn't want to stay where I wasn't wanted.

But what would I do with myself if I wasn't their Walalo?

Sure, I could help Edward with Sanctuary, but other than being with him—which I certainly desired to be—that prospect didn't interest me much. The vampires I had met outside of the Cullens were creepy. I wasn't too thrilled to be the one to try to convince them to change their murderous ways.

Then there was the dawning realization that of all the places I've lived, Forks was the only place that had truly felt like home. That feeling grew even more so as I sat here pitching stones. I loved it here but I certainly couldn't stay in Forks if the Quileute rejected me—so, where would I go? What would I do?

Suddenly, there was an upwelling in the sea right in front of me and to my delight a good-sized Orca appeared. She was so close, I could almost reach out and touch her, but I refrained. She may not have wanted to be man-handled, or vampire-handled, as it would be. She floated there, tall dorsal fin towering above her, her dark eye centered on me.

I smiled shakily, not sure what I should do, so I said as politely as I could, "Hello?"

She bobbed her head, then slapped her tail on the water. Astonishingly, another Orca appeared just behind her. He was even bigger than she was. The first Orca swam right next to the dock and I could hear a high-pitched belling sound coming from her blow hole. She kept making the noise and bumped against the dock. What did she want?

"I think she wants to take you for a ride." I turned to find Edward at the bottom of the path, just behind me.

"How do you know?"

He just smiled and pointed into a nearby tree. There were two huge Ravens sitting there. As soon as they saw I was looking, they cawed loudly and then took off and flew over where we stood and then on towards the shore.

"I had been looking around the greenhouse and gardens when those two dive-bombed me and wouldn't stop until I followed them here. I told them you wanted alone time, but they weren't having it."

He smiled and took a few steps onto the dock. "I think you ought to go. I can sort of read the Orca's mind. They have something to share with you, I think."

"Will you go, too?"

"I'm pretty sure that is why I was summoned to come down here."

A little trepidatious but immensely curious, I slipped off my shoes and left them on the dock. No point in ruining the leather. Then, I gingerly stepped onto the Orca's broad back and steadied myself by holding on to her fin. Immediately, she took off. It was sort of like paddle-board sailing, except the sail was behind me. I turned and looked over my shoulder to see Edward stepping onto the back of the other Orca, a male, I was sure. I don't know why I knew that my friend here was a female and Edward's was a male. I just did.

Talking about a thrilling ride! I could feel the orca's strength as she parted the waters, swimming parallel to the coast but in the direction the Ravens had taken. Eventually, she turned into a wild and beautiful cove that was at the northern edge of the reservation. She swam as close as she could to the shore and paused, her bell-like trills sounding loudly.

"I guess my ride is over. Thank you, Beauty." Patting her back, I slipped into the water and swam towards the shore. Soon, I was standing on the beach waiting for Edward to join me.

"That was something, wasn't it?" I asked, as he walked out of the surf.

Shaking the water from himself like a big puppy, Edward remarked, "Truly, it was amazing in more ways than one. Usually, animals will have nothing to do with vampires. The fact those Killer Whales tolerated us and even allowed us to climb upon their backs will be something for the history books. What do you think we should do now?"

"I have a feeling it will be obvious," I said as I started to look around. I noticed a movement in the treetops and there were the two Ravens that had flown on before us. They started to caw and so we followed them. Soon, we were walking up a trail that eventually led to a beautiful meadow. Tall spruce and fir trees bordered a green field that was interspersed with a variety of wildflowers. We stood there, gaping at the beauty that surrounded us. There were birds twittering, butterflies flitting, and a brook babbling nearby. As was fitting in this evidently hallowed ground, the clouds parted to allow a golden ray of sun to shine down on us.

I lifted Edward's hand and smiled as his skin sparkled and glittered in the warm sunshine. He was every bit as beautiful as our surroundings and, as always, he took my breath away. But then he lifted my hand so I could see that mine shone every bit as much as his. Our eyes met and suddenly the feelings we had for each other became overwhelming. I had never known such happiness before. For the first time since my change, I was content with what I had become, and it was simply because I knew I was exactly where I should be-with Edward.

But just as I was contemplating ravishing him right then and there, rising out of the tall grass, stood the most enormous bear I had ever seen.

Edward growled. "A bear! Be careful. They are known to be cantankerous and aggressive."

The bear looked offended and put a huge paw over the region of his heart and said, "Why, I could say the same about vampires."

Well, this was unexpected. A bear who talked and who could be offended? Amazing!

The bear got down on all fours and walked—it was more like a saunter—over to us, then sat down and said, "I am The Bear."

I'd have to say, that was obvious.

But striving to be polite, I said, "I am Isabella Swan-Cullen, and this is my husband, Edward Cullen. It is a pleasure to meet you."

The Bear laughed. Now, bear laughter sounds pretty much like a cross between a landside and thunder, so we tried not to be shocked at the sound, but I don't know why we should have felt that way. With all the craziness that had just happened in the past hour, I was beginning to feel like Bree Tanner. We had kept in contact with the family since Edward and I had secluded ourselves on Walalo's Island, so we knew what had been happening on their end. Maybe Carlisle had shot me up with some sort of vampire opioid concoction without me knowing and this was the result of it.

"No, you aren't dreaming, Child Bella. This is all real. I am part of the spiritual side of the Quileute. I speak for The Creator. In fact, some say I am The Creator, but I know that I am just a part of his being. He has taken my form so that he can converse with you. You have watched the stories that my Child Leah left for you?"

I'd better watch my inner craziness, because it seemed this old bear could read my mind. Hmmm. He had something over Edward there.

But I answered out loud. "We've listened to many of them, but just the first ones. After a while, I needed to take a break and this is what happened." I waved my hand around to indicate the glade, The Bear, our wet clothes, and the Ravens who were perched in a nearby tree, avidly listening to our conversation.

The Bear nodded and stretched out on his side, propping his head in his paw. "Have you come to a decision, Bella? Will you be the last Walalo?"

I darted a look at Edward and grimaced. Turning back to The Bear, I said, "I have not, yet."

"How about him?" The bear lifted his chin indicating Edward.

Edward answered, "I will stand by my wife. It is her decision whether or not to shoulder this burden."

The Bear snorted. "Burden? Yes. That's exactly what it is. But becoming a parent is also a burden, and still people choose to do it. Becoming a spouse—again, a burden—yet I don't see people ceasing to pair up. There are some burdens that make your life worth more than just breathing the air that is given you. It gives you purpose. It allows you to contribute to the world rather than just taking away from it."

The Bear looked at me and asked, "What holds you back from making a choice?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure I am good enough. I'm also not sure the Quileute will accept me."

The bear rolled onto his back, arms and legs splayed out, and looked at the sky. "It's pretty here, isn't it?"

I looked around at the gorgeousness that surrounded us and said, "It is." The Bear's non-sequitur was unnerving. Where was he going with this?

He waved a paw at a huge tree that sat on the edge of the glade. "That fir tree over there is a beautiful example of evergreen magnificence, yet it didn't choose to be planted in that spot, nor was the neighboring spruce asked its permission to have the fir as a neighbor. Nevertheless, they learned to grow together, and in that way reached their fullest potential. So, it will be with you and my Quileute Children."

"You have confidence in me?"

The Bear sat up. "Confidence in you? Of course, or it wouldn't have been written. Circumstance wouldn't have happened as it has. This could be your destiny, Child Bella, but it is an opportunity to use your gifts and talents to the fullest ability and do the greatest good."

"So, this is pre-ordained? I have no choice?"

The Bear laughed again. "Of course, you have a choice, but you should make it without considering what the tribe will or won't do. That is their choice, not yours. Choose what you want to do based upon you, not anything else. The stories that Child Leah left gave you enough information in general that you can make your decision. The rest is just technicalities."

Sighing, I got two things out of what he told me. One, that I am good enough because I was the one who was chosen, even though I wouldn't have picked myself; and two, don't worry about the tribe's decision because that isn't mine to make.

The Bear stood on four feet and came almost nose to nose with me. "You will tell them your decision tomorrow."

Yep. My three-day grace period was up the next day. "I will have a decision by then." I hoped.

The Bear grunted. "You will."

He then turned to Edward and asked, "Child, do you have any questions for me?"

Edward looked startled and started to demur, but The Bear said, "How often do you have the opportunity to ask The Creator anything? Go ahead."

Edward pressed his lips together, then looked at me. I nodded reassuringly. Then Edward turned to The Bear and asked, "Why did you create Vampires?"

The Bear cocked his head, and answered, "Of all the things The Creator created, there is one thing that He didn't, and that is Vampires."

I was shocked to speechlessness. After a moment of silence, Edward asked in a stuttering voice, "D-didn't The Creator create everything? Isn't that why you—It—is called The Creator?"

The Bear shook his head. "The Creator created the being that created Vampires. That one was a Jokester and prideful. Because of his pride, he grew jealous and sought a means to destroy what The Creator loved most—mankind—and so he conceived the first Vampire. He very nearly destroyed humankind by this means, except for one thing: he could not destroy the unique human soul and it was the soul that became, finally, their means to salvation.

"Since Vampires were once humans, they have an essence that the Jokester couldn't tamper with. However, by their nature Vampires change but slowly, if ever, so it took millennia before two vampires—your sire, Carlisle and Bernardo in Brazil—to overcome a vampire's innate bloodlust and allow his humanness to resurrect itself. Finally, Vampires can add to the universe rather than take away from it. The Jokester has been ultimately foiled. The Creator is very pleased."

The Bear rose to his feet again and placed his paws over each of our heads and said, "Bless you, in the name of all that was, is, and forever shall be. Go in peace, my children."

Suddenly, like a lightning clap, the sun disappeared and then, just as quickly, returned. The Bear was gone, and all was as it was before we entered the meadow—still beautiful, but now overcast and gray.

We turned and left, not saying a word, just knowing it was time to return to the world. The ravens had flown off and there was no sign of the orcas once we got to the beach. I suppose the magic was over for the day.

Hand in hand we walked into the waves and began a leisurely swim back to Walalo's Island.

As Edward helped me climb back onto the dock once we arrived, I noticed his expression was one of utter joy. I looked at him in wonder. I'd never seen him look so content and happy and it made my heart glad.

Smiling, he took me in his arms, held me tightly, and said, "We are not forever damned."

I knew what he meant. Ever since Edward's transformation, he had borne the guilt and shame of his baser vampiric urges, even more so since he had succumbed to them for a time, early in his vampire youth. With The Bear's revelations, he now realized the truth. Vampires were not intrinsically evil. They could be redeemed. Thy had a choice just like any human did.

That is, we had a choice.

I was pretty sure what mine was going to be.