Chapter Nine: Revival
Alina smiled gently at her
younger friend, her white hair flowing into her crystal blue eyes. Buddi tried
to get to his feet but he was shaking too badly and collapsed to his knees.
Alina walked over and knelt to his level, sitting on her knees. She grasped his
tear stained cheeks in her hands.
"Oh, Buddi. Why did you seal
yourself away? Don't you know that Ursa cares? That you're her baby, her
angel?"
"I'm nothing to her."
Alina pulled Buddi to her and
wrapped her hands around his head. "Oh really? Take a look at these memories
Buddi and tell me if you still think that."
* * *
Buddi, no older than three years,
ran to Ursa. She dropped what she was doing, put aside her polishing materials
and laid her sword down. She knelt and Buddi ran into her arms, shrieking,
"Up, 'Sa. Up!"
Ursa stood up and threw Buddi up
into the air. He shrieked with delight and Ursa caught him easily under the
arms and spun around with him. He giggled again as she tossed him up again. He
started to throw his arms up, saying,
"More, more!"
Ursa lay down on her bed, holding
Buddi up over her head. He laughed, a childish giggle as she tossed him up
again. He was never afraid. He was always sure she'd catch him. He was always
having fun but never feared. Ursa looked at his eyes, with her own shining at
this treasure of hers. Her pride and joy.
* * *
Buddi, at five years, came running
into Ursa's room, crying. She turned, flipped her side lamp on and looked as
her child leapt up and into her bed. He snuggled up close to her, trembling and
shaking. Ursa sat up and gathered him onto her lap. He stuck his thumb into his
mouth and nuzzled into her chest.
"Aw, what is it, baby?"
"'M scared, mama Ursa."
"Of what, baby?"
"'Sters."
Ursa rubbed his head, "Oh, Buddi.
There are no monsters, you know that."
"Heard them. In the dark."
Ursa pulled him close to her and lay
down, letting him wrap his arms and little legs around her. He was slurping on
his fingers now. She smoothed his hair gently and cooed comforting words to
him.
He was asleep in minutes.
Ursa carried him back to his room.
He didn't wake up until late the next morning.
* * *
Buddi looked up at Alina. She smiled. "But also, who was it that was
there for you, in sickness?"
* * *
A
seven-year-old cub moaned aloud in pain.
"How do
you feel, baby?"
Ursa
walked in, draping a cloth on his hot brow. He moaned, clutching his belly.
"It
hurts, 'Sa."
She smiled and sat down by him. She lifted her
child's shirt, baring his belly. She draped a hot cloth over his fur and rubbed
his stomach gently. He closed his eyes. She kept that up for several minutes,
until she knew he was asleep.
* * *
Buddi, thirteen years of age,
wrapped his arms around Ursa as she held him in her lap. She'd just given him a
cold bath, to cool the burning fever. She ran her hands through his fur,
smoothing it out. He drew to her and she smiled gently at her baby. She picked
him up, cradled him gently and laid him down in his bed. Covering him gently,
she said,
"I'll stay with you, baby."
* * *
Buddi stared at Alina.
"Am I dead?"
Alina shook her head. "No, I still
am but we spirits have our ways are coming back, to lend our aid. I'm here to
help you."
Buddi stared again. Alina covered
his eyes.
"One more memory, Buddi."
* * *
Ursa scooped Buddi up into her arms.
He was scared. Older yes but he was still her baby and she was still his
'mother.' He nuzzled into her arms. She laid down with him and said, softly,
"You can stay with mama Ursa, baby."
Buddi nodded into her chest. He
wrapped his arms around her and drew as close as he could get, tears staining
his cheeks. Ursa rubbed his hair. His tears slowed. She hugged him tightly and
the two stayed that way until sunrise.
Then, Ursa walked out, carrying
Buddi, stopping once by her mirror to hiss,
"You stay away from my Buddi."
The glass cracked when she punched
it.
* * *
Buddi smiled at Alina. "You're
right. She does care.'
Alina smiled. "Those 'memories' were
alterations, Buddi. Celina wanted to shatter your confidence. She succeeded.
Now," she said as she drew Buddi at arms' length. "Are you gonna sit back and
take it? Let her take your family?"
"What?"
Alina nodded. "Celina's taken
Ursalia. Only you and Sunni are free,"
Buddi smiled. "Then, let's take back
what's ours."
Alina hugged him. "Now there's the
Buddi I love. Go get em."
Alina began to fade. "I'm with you
Buddi. If you ever feel lost…I'll come, if not in body, in spirit."
She vanished. Buddi's confidence
soared.
In sickbay, the color flooded back
into Buddi's cheeks. He let his soul and mind rejoin his body.
Buddi opened his eyes, sat up and
walked out, to the hallway.
"I've turned to you all these years, Ursa. It's my turn to help you."