Chapter 19: Change of Hearts
Suddenly, the teeth on one end of the branch disappeared and a bright yellow-colored eye peeked inside, staring down at us with malicious curiosity.
''So this is what the owls are so worked up about, ''the wolf said with amusement, ''Tiny flying mice and an itty bitty human.''
''H-hey let us go!'' Shade demanded and stepped in front of me and Marina, trying his best to look brave.
''You have no right to hold us!'' Marina added with a glare.
''What's the hurry?'' the wolf asked with factitious kindness, ''Tell us where your colony is hiding Silverwing.''
''So you can tell the owls and have us killed? Forget it!''
''Killed?'' the wolf and his companions laughed in amusement as if Shade just told them a good joke.
''Oh, we don't want you killed,'' came the voice of a female wolf from the other end of the branch, ''We want you and your colony protected.''
''Yeah, right,'' I thought, raising an eyebrow at her in disbelieve.
''As long as Silverwings are free, we can do whatever we want,'' drawled the male who I assumed to be the alpha of this pack, ''Hunt, expand our territory. All in the name of war.'' He grinned.
''But the war is wrong! The Silverwings are innocent.''
''Innocent, guilty… it matters not to us,'' the female casually replied and snapped her jaws with a growl, ''Our concern is food.''
''With other words, you don't give a damn about what's going on. The main point is you can simply run around the forest and sink your teeth in anything that crosses your way, ''I glared at the she-wolf and crossed my arms before my chest.
The alpha wolf chuckled. ''You've got it little one. Brutus is too focused on his feud with the bats that he doesn't realize what else is going on around him.'' Once again he broke out into laughter and his companions quickly joined in. Then suddenly the alpha stopped and sniffed the air.
At once all wolves got silent, and I wondered what was happening outside. I felt tempted to crawl over to one of the holes and check when we heard the wolves running off while growling and their fangs snapping.
''They probably found some prey to hunt after.'' I thought and felt bad for the unlucky creature that would soon end as a meal for those nasty predators.
''Come on guys, let's get moving before they come back,'' Shade said and hoped over to the entrance to fly back up into the air. Marina and I nodded and followed him with me clinging on to the Brightwings feet.
Meanwhile, the Silverwings continued their journey towards Stonehold in order to meet with the adult males of the colony.
''This is taking too long. We must be off course!'' Bathsheba complained once again just to earn a disapproving glance from Chinook who was flying right beside her.
''Stonehold just ahead!'' Frieda called out with a smile, ignoring the other elder's words.
''The rest of the males will be with us soon.'' Ariel smiled with excitement while flying beside her leader.''
Frieda nodded, ''And just in time,'' she added, smiling back.
Bathsheba growled under her breath, surely not happy to hear this while Chinook just smirked, feeling glad that the whiny elder got proven wrong.
Shade, Marina and I kept flying through the forest for about an hour after our encounter with the wolves. Eventually, we decided to take a short break by a stream to rest and catch something to eat.
I let Marina land me down on the shore before she flew off to hunt some bugs with Shade and walked a bit closer to the water.
Carefully I bend down and scooped some of it up with my hands to drink it.
Even though it was cold, the water felt very refreshing, so I drank some more of it until I didn't feel thirsty anymore.
''Ah, that was good,'' I sighed and wiped some drops from my mouth with the back of my sleeve.
Just then I heard something that sounded like loud snoring.
Feeling puzzled I looked around until I spotted a massive white hill lying just a few feet away from me on the shore snoring loudly.
''Wait a minute!'' I thought confused. ''Hills can't snore.''
Taking a closer look I finally notice that the white surface was actually fur, belonging to a large animal that took a nap by the stream.
I got back up and carefully walked closer to it, wanting to know what kind of animal that was.
After walking halfway around I stopped by its face and figured that it was a bear.
It looked kinda like the mother bear I saw earlier but with snow-white instead of black fur and a black colored nose. On its left ear stuck an orange tag.
I looked around to see if my friends were around then looked back at the sleeping bear in front of me. I couldn't believe how big it was. It was practically huge. The nose alone was at least twice the size of my current body size.
Knowing it was probably a bad idea I still couldn't help myself but reached out to touch the nose. Just wanting to know what it felt like. I slowly walked closer until my palm came in direct contact with the bear's nose which felt damp like the nose of a dog.
Feeling the bear's hot breath against my face made me took a step back, not liking the stinky fish odor that came with it.
Suddenly the white bear frowned in its sleep and wrinkled its nose as if smelling something unfamiliar. Quickly, I moved away from its face and stumbled against the bear's fur.
I smiled, liking how soft and warm it felt as I touched it. For a moment I was tempted to snuggle into it like a big warm blanket. Though, I doubted that the bear would like to see a stranger moreover a human so close by itself when it woke up. Then again... The bear didn't look like it would wake up anytime soon and its fur looked just too comfy so... Why not take a rest on it for just a few minutes? That shouldn't cause any trouble now, should it?
I was just about to snuggle into the bear's soft white fur when it suddenly started to wake up with a big yawn. Quickly I stepped away and watched how the bear blinked open its eyes and looked around tiredly as if trying to focus on its surroundings. It was just about to go back to sleep when its eyes eventually caught on to me. Immediately the bear seemed to be fully awake with its blue eyes wide open.
''Uh, ... hi,'' I said, smiling awkwardly, causing the white bear to rose up in surprise and let out a deafening roar. Taken by surprise I screamed and jumped behind a log that was lying on the grass close by. Feeling scared I peeked over the log and watched the bear stop growling and falling back onto all fours. Then it walked closer and sniffed me a bit, inducing me to back away some more. But instead of gobbling me up with its big mouth the bear just blinked at me and then walked over to the stream where it, to my surprise, dunked its head right into the cold water. A moment later the bear pulled its head out again and shook the water out of its fur.
Confused about its act I kept watching the bear while feeling quite unsure what to do now.
From my hiding place, I heard it mumbling to itself about me. And by the sound of its voice, I assumed it to be a female, saying something like I'm just a product of her fantasy. Not real. Just a dream and so on.
I wondered if I should talk to her and let her know that I'm not a dream when I heard my friends calling for me.
Seconds later they both landed by me on the grass with Shade having a worried look on his face.
''Vanessa are you alright? We heard a loud roar and ...'' He stopped hearing Marina gasp behind him and turned around to see the massive white she-bear right behind us.
The bear looked at each of us in silence for a few seconds. Then her eyes lit up, realizing that she wasn't dreaming at all.
''Y-you're a Silverwing!'' she exclaimed staring at Shade. ''Oh, not good. Definitely not good. You must go! You were never here. You are just a dream. A bad, bad dream.''
''Uh, no. We are not,'' Shade said, frowning a bit in confusion while flying up onto the log, ''We are real. I'm Shade and these are Marina and Vanessa.''
The bear looked down at us again and gasped softly, noticing me. ''A tiny human?! That's even better.'' With an annoyed groan, she turned around, obviously not being happy to have met us and trudged away.
''Hey! Wait!'' called Shade and flew after her deeper into the forest, followed by Marina and me. Eventually, the she-bear stopped by a giant metallic container stuck between two trees on a small clearing. Insouciantly she nudged the hatch with her nose and started munching the orange food pellets that fell out of it.
''What is that stuff?'' Marina asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the strange food as we three landed on top of the container. Startled by her voice, the bear banged her head on the metal, causing us to almost fell down from it.
''Huh? Are you still here?'' She asked with a glare and rubbed her sore head.
''Did the humans bring you that food?'' Shade asked.
''Well, of course!''
''What is it?''
''It's crunchy...fishy...berry stuff,'' she obviously had no idea. ''Who cares? It's delicious.'' She smiled a bit to herself then quickly glared at us again. ''But keep away! You can't have any,'' she warned us and went back to eat her meal.
I crossed my arms and frowned at that attitude of hers. ''Like we would even want any,'' I thought.
''Did the humans put that tag on your ear?'' Marina asked curiously while studying the bear's head.
The white bear licked some crumbs off of her muzzle. ''Of course, they did,'' she proudly said while turning her ear with the orange tag on it towards us. ''I'm special. I'm a black bear who happens to be white.''
''The humans gave me this,'' Marina lifted her wing to show her, her silver band.
''Oh, that's not the same, You're just a bat. There are millions of bats. I'm rare. That's why the humans worship me.''
''Excuse me... what?!''
I gaped at her filled with indignation. But before I could even think of what to say all four of us got startled by feral growls and snarling. Turning around, we saw a raccoon running for his life while being chased by the same wolf pack Shade, Marina and I had encountered earlier.
''Someone should do something!'' Marina exclaimed.
The she-bear just huffed. ''Those are just some predators hunting their prey. Its nature so why bother?''
''Maybe because those wolves are hunting down the whole forest?!'' I said.
''So?''
''So? Who cares if it's nature. There still needs to be someone who keeps them at bay.''
''Look, girl, I'm not their leader so there wouldn't even be a point in trying to reason with them.''
My eyes lid up. An idea crossed my mind.
''And what if you were the leader? Being in such a high position you could represent and protect the other animals and get much praise from them as well, besides the fact of your ... rareness.''
''Oh no forget it!,'' she said, shaking her head,'' If that owl Brutus gets the whiff of that, I'll be forced to be at his meetings and then I would need to tell him about you three. Then he would want details!
Yes, and then there'll be more meetings, and plans, and patrols, and probably even more meetings.''
She huffed and shook her head. ''Thank you but I'm happy with the peaceful life I have now and I do not wish to change that. And now buzz off!'' The white bear turned back to her pellets, purposely smacking and chewing loudly.
Feeling frustrated and tired of trying to talk with her, Shade let a soft sigh and got airborne, quickly followed by Marina and me clinging to her feet.
''She's as bad as the wolves.''
''It's the humans' fault giving her everything she wants.''
I let out a sigh, knowing well how right Shade was. It was my kinds fault. Unfortunately, there seemed nothing we could do to change that.
We kept flying silently through the forest for a few more minutes until we suddenly heard a desperate crying sound echoing from below. Wondering what that was we quickly decided to check it out and came across a little black bear cub, who seemed to be all alone, crying his eyes out.
''Where is his mother?'' Marina asked and looked around, trying to find a trace of her.
''She must have been killed, crossing the road,'' I answered, remembering the conversation I had overheard in the branch about the black bear mother, wanting to cross it in order to get to the eastern valley.
''Shh- shh-shh,'' Shade hushed softly, trying to calm down the baby, ''Keep quiet, Keep quiet.''
The little guy stopped crying and looked up at us sadly.
''There must be some safe place we can take him,'' Marina said.
''Sure but where?''
Shade thought for a moment, ''I know! We can take him to the white she-bear.''
''Huh?''
''Are you sure about that Shade?'' I asked, not liking that idea.
''Well, you have a better idea?''
''Eh, no but ...''
''Then it's settled. That female might be a little self-seeking but I'm sure she won't neglect one of her own in need.''
I looked back at the cub. The little guy just began to cry out again for his mother and laid down on his tummy. I may still not agree with Shade's plan but hearing the little ones heart-wrenching wails I knew we had to do something quickly. We obviously couldn't leave him here. The wolves or any other predator might come and eat him. The only question now was how we would get the cub to follow us around?
Flying through wafts of mist, the Silverwings crossed a gorge with a sparkling river flowing below.
Chinook beamed, knowing where they must be now. ''Stonehold! It is, isn't it Frieda?'' he asked her excitedly.
The chief elder smiled and nodded softly, causing the young male to burst out in joy and to fly up ahead. Leading the colony down to the rocky walls. Immediately Chinook began to explore the new territory and fluttered inside Stonehold, feeling eager to meet his father for the first time in his life.
In the meantime, Frieda, along with Mercury and Bathsheba sat down on the branch of a tree while the rest of the Silverwings took roost on the other trees around.
''The young ones will finally meet their fathers.'' Frieda smiled and waited for the males to come out and meet their mates and children
Mercury smiled as well and watched the young bats flying around in excitement.
But his smile soon vanished from his face when Chinook returned. Confusion and sadness were written on his face. ''They're...they're gone,'' he said, ''The males! They're all...gone...''
As if knowing it must be her fault, Bathsheba glared accusingly at Frieda and growled softly while the chief elder herself lets out a worried sigh.
After thinking for a moment, Marina seemed to have an idea, spotting a bush with juicy red berries on it. She flew over and broke off a small twig from it. ''Hey, looky what I've got,'' She fluttered back to the cub and wiggled the twig in front of his face to get his attention.
The cub stopped crying and looked at her with wide curious eyes.
''That's it, sweety. Now you want those berries? Then come, come...''
She flew a bit ahead, and the cub did crawl after her. Happy to see that Marina's plan seemed to, Shade, and I followed as well. It didn't take us long until we were back at the same small clearing with the food container. To our luck the female white bear was still there, reaching into the container as if trying to scrape some leftovers.
''Hey, You. Hello!'' Shade called out, causing the bear to accidentally slam her head into the metal once more in surprise. She fell back onto her rear and rubbed her head, grumbling a bit. She looked over to us and gasped in horror, spotting the little black bear cub among us.
''Get that thing out of here!'' she said with disgust and flinched back.
I frowned at her, while Shade put me down on a large rock before landing down on it himself.
''He needs looking after. His mother was killed'' Marina tried to explain as she landed before the adult bear on the ground. But the white one just huffed and stubbornly turned her face away.
''Gah, Look!'' Shade tried to reason with her, ''He's a black bear and you are really a black bear.''
''Who happens to be white!'' she snapped.
''Whatever!'' I said, rolling my eyes, having enough of this. ''The point is this cub needs help and...''
''Then why are you bugging me with this? I have no interest in babysitting some annoying tot.'' With a huff she turned away totally ignoring me.''Now,'' she said, ''Take your sniveling little friend – HEY! Get out of there!''
Without noticing the bear cub had crawled over to a pile of leftovers from her food container and was munching on it hungrily. Not liking to see this the female bear rushed over and roughly shoved him away with her big paw and began eating it herself.
I frowned at her more before turning over to Shade, wondering if he had an idea of what we could do now, but he just helplessly shrugged his shoulders. I sighed.
Knowing there was nothing we could do to change her opinion. Marina, Shade and I decided it was probably for the best if we just left. So Marina picked the twig with the berries back up and lured the cub away and deeper into the forest with me and Shade close behind.
I took a short look over my shoulder and watched the she-bear noisily eating the food she refused to share with a starving baby. With a deep sigh, I shook my head and turned my glance away from her again.
''My colony is barely an echo from here, and we are stuck with this cub,'' Shade groaned, really hating our current situation.''
''Well, we can't just leave him,'' I said and looked down on the cub. A bit earlier Marina had given him the berries to eat., so he would have at least a bit food in his stomach. And now he was still following us around. It seemed the little guy already grew attached to us.
I smiled softly thinking of this, but my smile quickly vanished as I suddenly heard growling close around us.
''Don't worry.'' a voice growled pleasantly, and to our shock, the alpha wolf stepped forwards from behind a tree with a sinister grin on his face, ''We'll take care of the little guy.''
We tried to back away, but two more wolves appeared out of the shadows. Encircling us with their teeth bared and eyes glowing with hunger.
Shade urged the cub to turn around and run back, but one of the wolves jumped in our way, blocking our path and causing the little guy to back off and cry out in fear.
Shade charged at the wolf and smacked himself right onto his face, blocking his view with his wings. The wolf whimpered, shook him off and dodged another attack by Marina.
''Well, well, well…,'' the alpha chuckled, ''perhaps you really are owl killers.'' He and his pack moved closer towards me and the cub, forcing us to be backed into a corner. With horror, I watched the predators getting closer and desperately thought of a plan. Being small as I was I may had a chance to quickly sneak away between the wolves paws and hide under some roots or something. But what about the cub? I couldn't leave him. The wolves would surely eat him.
Looking up I saw Shade and Marina swooping down for another attack. But the alpha already saw them coming and with the help of his hind leg, he stroke Shade right into his face, causing the boy to crash into Marina behind him. With a grunt, they both fell down and tumbled over the ground.
''Guys!'' I called out to them, hoping they were alright. To my joy Shade raised up his head, but he seemed to be too weak to get up fully. I wanted to run to him and Marina and get the hell out of here but the wolves were getting closer and closer.
The baby bear beside me whimpered and was frozen with fear.. I looked around, trying to find something to use as a weapon to defend myself and the cub. But there was nothing useful in sight.
However, I did not want to die like a wuss and cling to the bear cub's fur while crying for help and mercy. No way! I would rather die while at least trying to fight than that. Nevertheless, I knew this was probably an idiotic idea. I had absolutely no chance against three full-grown wolves. Still, this didn't stop me from stepping between them and the cub.
''Move it you bastards! I won't let you have this cub!'' I said, trying my best to sound as brave as I could.
The alpha chuckled with amusement. ''Oh, and who's going to stop us? You, pipsqueak?'' He laughed out loud, quickly joined by his pack. I glared at them, still trying not to show any fear.
''Just go! Uhm...Out!...Down!''
''What are you doing? Do you think you can treat us like measly dogs?'' The alpha wolf growled at me threateningly, looking greatly insulted. I knew I made a mistake watching the two other wolves looked also quite pissed now as well.
''S-stay away!'' I called, feeling my heart beating hard in my chest. One of the wolves crouched down, ready to jump but the alpha quickly stepped in his way, growling at him. The other wolf respectfully backed away, giving his leader the advantage of attacking us first.
With a satisfied grin, he faced us again. The young bear cub cried out again and put his little paws over his eyes not wanting to see what will happen next. I, for my part stayed where I was. My heart beating faster with my breath stuck in my throat.
''That's it,'' I thought, ''This is the end!''
The alpha wolf snarled dangerously and was just about to pounce on us when suddenly a large white paw hit him against his jaw, causing him to be sent flying backward.
For a moment I was confused and didn't get what was going on. But then I looked up and to my surprise, I saw the white-furred black bear female, towering protectively over me and the cub.
Letting out a loud, deafening roar, she caused the wolves to back away from us in fear.
''Cowards, attack her!'' the alpha snarled and led them back towards the she-bear in order to attack.
But before they could get to too close, she simply smacked the leader away again with her paw and threw another wolf, that managed to leap on top of her into the trunk of a tree.
Now the third wolf tried to attack but the she-bear easily knocked him away as well.
Then the alpha charged at her again and went for her throat, but she quickly snatched him by his own and held him away, while he tried to bite into her face.
Meanwhile, my two bat friends managed to get back into the scene and helped her in her fight against the wolves. Shade himself landed on the alpha wolf's face as he did earlier with one of the others, causing him to cry out in pain and fall from the bears grasp, while Marina sunk her fangs into the skin of another wolf. The wolf howled in pain and shook her off while trying to bite her and immediately got hit in the face by the she-bear. Whimpering like scared little puppies the two wolves run away into the woods, leaving their leader behind.
The alpha himself, however, did not want to give up that easily.
Once more, after freeing himself from Shade, he lunged at me and the bear cub but the adult female bear knocked him away from us again. With a growl he got back up again, ready to attack her. But after one more roar, he eventually gave up and turned around. Defeated, he run off after his pack, whimpering and with his tail tucked between his legs.
Marina and Shade cheered while I sat down smiling with relief. The little cub growled happily as well and waved at our savior who looked over to him and at her paw and then off into the distance as if she could not believe what she had done.
Moments later we were all back by the food container. There I happily watched how the white she-bear pushed a tray of food pellets towards the cub, who gratefully dig into the food with a big smile on his face.
''You showed those wolves!'' a rabbit that had been watching the fight along with a raccoon praised her with joy.
''You took charge!'' Marina cheered as well, while she hung on a branch together with Shade.
''Yes...but they'll be back,'' the bear said with a sigh and laid down on the ground.
''And there'll be more of them next time,'' Shade added with a frown.
''We have to cross the human road. Find someplace safe…'' the raccoon suggested, but the she-bear shook her head.
''No!'' she said firmly. ''Running away won't solve this. We'll go to Brutus. We'll tell him Shade and Vanessa's story and get him to stop this war.''
My bat friends looked overjoyed by her decision but I wasn't quite sure of what to think of this. Sure she had saved us and all but did she really do that because she had a change of heart or did she just do it for recognition?
''You sure Brutus will listen?'' the rabbit asked doubtfully.
The white one sighted. Then she looked ahead with determination written on her face, ''We have to try it at least. In the name of the bats and all critters in the forest, I will personally go to the General myself and tell him everything.''
Hearing this, I huffed a bit and sat down with my arms crossed before my chest. ''So will you?'' I asked earning a glance from Marina that said something along the line of: 'What are you doing? Don't ruin this moment.' But I ignored her.
The Addressed one, however, looked at me puzzled and raised an eyebrow.
''Yes, I will. What makes you think I won't little one?''
I shrugged. ''Dunno, maybe because of that attitude of yours you greeted us with when we first met. Or the fact that you first refused to help us with Koda here.''
''Koda?'' Shade asked.
''Uh, just a name I came up with.'' I explained, ''We can't call him cub the whole time. Now can we?''
''Eh, no...''
''But Vanessa,'' Marina interrupted and looked down at me reproachfully, ''Aren't you a little ungrateful here? You and Koda would be dead if it weren't for her.''
I sighed in annoyance. ''Marina...''
''No, you listen! It doesn't matter how she acted earlier. Fact is she saved us which means she must have changed her mind.''
''I just want to know the cause of it,'' I replied, ''Nobody changes just like that without some influence.''
''Girls please,'' Shade tried to pease. ''I'm sure that ... uh...'' He stopped and looked at the white she-bear. Just realizing that we never got to know her name.
''Excuse me for not introducing me to you earlier,'' She said, ''I'm Ursa.''
''Well then, thank you, Ursa, for helping us,'' Shade smiled. Marina smiled as well and then glared at me again, noticing I was still frowning. She was just about to say something again, but Ursa held up her paw, stopping her.
''You are welcome but please, don't argue. Vanessa here is right to doubt my actions. I was foolish and selfish for acting this way. Especially on a time like this.''
''But what made you change your mind now?'' I asked.
''It was you.''
''Huh?''
Ursa nodded while I stared at her in confusion. ''You were the one who said that there need to be someone who represents the beast in this forest and protect them. Don't get me wrong I'm not volunteering as leader to get praise and recognition. I'm doing that because there needs to be someone who keeps an overview of this chaos here and who reminds Brutus of what his actions are causing to everyone else.''
''I see...''
''But that's not all.'' I looked back up, wondering what else she had to tell me. ''When you and your friends went of with Koda... I saw a glance of you looking at me. Your sad and disappointed expression made me overthink my whole life and what I was doing.'' She paused shortly and sighed. ''You must now. I've got this tag on my ear since I was a little cub myself. Like Koda here. I had lost my mother, but I was lucky to be found by friendly humans who took good care of me. As soon as I grew up they brought me back into the wild, but kept on sending me food, knowing I was very untrained in gathering my own food. With time, I managed to take care of myself, but I also kept on eating the food the humans bring me until today. I thought they would do this because they think I'm special. But seeing you I realized that I'm not so special at all. At least not because of the color of my fur.''
''Well, I think you are special. But in some other way you know,'' I said and smiled at her. Ursa smiled back and the other animals smiled as well.
''Now then, '' she said and looked up into the sky, ''You three better now go and look for a roost. It's close to dawn.'' Shade nodded and flew down to me.
I petted the bear cub in order to say goodbye and let him nuzzle me playfully.
''Promise you will take good care of Koda?'' I asked, looking at Ursa.
''Don't worry. I will care for him like he were my own,'' she assured me with another smile. ''Now, goodbye my friends and safe traveling.''
''Goodbye and good luck with Brutus! Hopefully he will listen to you.''
Shade grabbed my hands with his feet and followed Marina high up into the sky.
For a moment we stopped and looked back to wave at Ursa, Koda, the rabbit, and the raccoon and watched them waving back to us before finally setting off.
Meanwhile, back at the outskirts of the power station, Goth was still lying lifeless in the ditch. His bruised and burned body attracted the attention of two hungry crows. They flew down next to him on a fallen tree and looked rather pleased with what they had found.
One of them began to prod at Goth's arm with its beak before turning to its friend.
''Not only is this bat huge, it's already cooked!''
The crow had no time to laugh at its own joke when the bat's hand suddenly jolt up and grabbed it by the throat. Startled the other crow fled right on the spot, leaving its friend behind. The poor crow tried to struggle out of Goth's grasp, but the Vampyrum just took a bite into the bird, earning a pained scream and chuckled darkly while ending its life.
AN: Yay new Chapter ^^ To be honest writing this wasn't so easy as the last ones. Especially, since I had to think of how to include Ursa in the story while also going away from the plot of the TV series. Unlike there I want to keep the beast mostly out of the war of Brutus and the Silverwings. But don't worry this won't be the last time we have seen Ursa. ;) We will meet her again in the future. :)
For now, our friends need to rest. Danger is coming close!