Chapter Eight: Shocking the Heart

Chapter Eight: Shocking the Heart

It was close to sunset when they finally made it over the mountains. Ursa had carried Buddi down the steep cliffs and the ones near the top. When they got to the ones about half way down, Buddi did it himself but Ursa still stayed close. She knew he felt a reassurance with her there.

When Buddi finally stepped on solid ground again, level ground, he was near tears with relief. Ursa took his hand and dragged him after the others. She had understood on the cliffs but now that she was on the ground again, her sternness returned.

The group walked in silence, not saying anything. Buddi stayed by Ursa and Gritty, in-between them. The adults kept the cub close. There were dangers around Barbic Woods that Buddi hadn't been aware of. There were snakes, poisonous animals and of course, the wolves.

Buddi on the other hand, had no intention of leaving them. He knew there were dangers. Any fool could see that. Ursa kept her hand near her sword's hilt. Gritty did the same. Buddi wished he's brought his bow but that would have been too difficult. The only weapon he had was a spear and his wits.

Unless he counted Ursa.

By sunset, the adults stopped for a minute. Ursa and Gritty drew some hard wood from their sacks and lit some torches. Now Buddi had to stay by them. They had the light. Without them, he was blind and could only hear, smell, and touch. Taste would not do much good.

It was getting cold. Buddi stayed by Ursa as the faint heat from her torch helped. They had put their winter clothes away. The adults seemed fine. But then they had long cloaks. He didn't have one.

Ursa glanced at Buddi, still at her side, her little 'shadow.' On their way fleeing Barbic Woods, the others had dubbed him, "Ursa's Little Shadow" because he never left her side. Now, it was happening again.

He was rubbing his arms, shivering. Although no normal person could hear so well, Ursa heard the cub's teeth start to chatter. She herself was warm. The torch was making her hot with her cloak. She smiled and grabbed Buddi's arm. He looked at her.

"Cold, Buddi?"

The cub looked at her with an are-you-kidding-me-whatta-you-think-look. She chuckled and took her own cloak off. The night air was not as brutal to her. She was both older and because of her genes, her fur was thicker than Buddi's. Her hair kept her neck and shoulders warm.

Ursa propped her torch up on the ground and tied her cloak tight around Buddi. It was much too big but that merely added more warmth as Ursa doubled layered it so that it wouldn't drag on the ground. Buddi snuggled into it, his eyes saying, "Thank you." But he voiced it anyway,

"Thanks."

Ursa nodded and got her torch.

They went on.

It was getting dark. Buddi didn't fear the dark as a general rule but the woods did scare him at night when he was on the ground. In Barbic Woods, it hadn't scared him because he was high in the trees and Ursa was in the room across from him.

So he stuck like glue to her.

The night wore on, soon the sounds of night came out. Buddi moved from Ursa until she and Gritty flanked him. Ursa could tell he was nervous but chose not to say anything.

Suddenly, her keen ears picked up a distinctive rustling. She turned to Gritty who nodded. She reached out and grabbed Buddi's elbow.

"Hang on, I hear something."

Buddi followed her eyes. They finally fell on a far bush. The bushes crackled. Buddi held Ursa around the elbow of her free arm. She drew her sword with the other. Buddi always got nervous when she did that. It was something bad if Ursa drew her blade. She was typically strong enough to handle anything bare handed.

Then he heard the growl. Ursa turned to Gritty.

"Gritty, wolves. Get Buddi out of here."

"I'm not leaving you alone, Ursa."

"Gritty!"

"Ursa!"

Buddi looked at her. She said tensely,

"Buddi, go. Meet up with Lundi and Mari. We'll be there in a minute."

Buddi was scared for her. He didn't want her hurt, shielding him. He swallowed.

"But…Ursa…"

"Buddi! I don't have time to argue. Just do it!"

The cub ran, calling, "Promise me you'll come."

He received no answer.

The cub finally caught up with the other adults.

He said nothing but did allude that Ursa wanted them to wait. The child took the opportunity to sit and rub his feet, which hurt. But inwardly, he was dying. He was worried. He knew Ursa had a better chance than any of them; that chance quadrupled because Gritty was with her.

The cub waited with the adults. It was a while but then, Buddi heard branches part and Ursa and Gritty walked back to the group. The adults looked a bit winded but fine physically. Ursa jerked her head and they took off again as if nothing happened.

Buddi ran to Ursa, almost as if he would tackle her but then eh remembered that Ursa and the other adults were not big huggers or displayers of emotion. Especially not in front on each other. So he grabbed her around the waist, a faint squeeze. Ursa seemed all right with that. But she peeled his arms from her, grabbed him by the elbow and walked on.

They walked on, farther. Ursa stuck closer to Buddi though. Or rather, she forced him to stay close to her.

It was around one o'clock when Buddi started to stumble. It had passed midnight and he'd been fine but now as the early morning hours rolled around, the cub started to slow, to be dragged more than to follow.

Finally, Ursa asked,

"Buddi? Are you alright?"

The cub looked at her, rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn. He looked at her and said, wearily,

"I'm okay. Just a little tired."

Ursa nodded, tightened her grip on his arm and walked on. They had another two hours to go, at the very least. A more reasonable time frame was three to four hours. Buddi would just have to cope. They couldn't stop when they were this close to the destination.

For an hour or so, there was silence. Then, Ursa started forward only to have something stop her. Turning around, she spied Buddi leaning against one of the dune in this plane and yawning wildly. His eyes had acquired large circles under them. She smiled faintly and took off her sack and tossed it to gritty. She knelt down to sit on her knees and removed Buddi's sack. She dug some thick rope form it and tossed the empty sack to Gritty as well. The Barbic knew what she was planning and with a small smile went to tell the others to wait.

Buddi stared at Ursa.

"Ursa? What-" she silenced him by slipped a finger over his lips. She gestured for Buddi to climb on her back. Buddi was baffled but did do, wrapping his legs around her waist. Ursa took some of the rope and slipped it around Buddi's lower back and tied it on her stomach. That secured Buddi to her. She pushed the cub's face onto her shoulder, in her soft hair. She said softly,

"Sleep Buddi. You're tired."

The cub's first thought was to protest but his exhaustion overwhelmed his pride swiftly and he closed his eyes, his face warmed by Ursa's hair. He closed his eyes and inhaled Ursa's scent. In moments he was asleep. Ursa smiled, rubbed his face and walked to catch up with the others.

Gritty smiled as he watched his best friend walk up, a cub hoisted on her back. But she still could walk without slouching. Buddi's weight was insignificant to her. But he couldn't resist…

"Carrying some extra weight, Ursa?"

The Barbic leader gave him a tolerant smile. She said softly, "He's a Barbic but he's a child. He's tired. Let him sleep."

Gritty nodded and the group went on. Occasionally Buddi would stir but as a general rule, he slept soundly. Then, slowly the adults emerged where Barbic Woods had been.

A loud gasp escaped every throat.

It was reformed.

Every tree was there, every leaf. The river was flowing by their feet and they heard the comforting sound of the small waterfall by the swimming hole. The tall trees stretched so their leaves hide the sky. Ursa looked pale, sick. Gritty went to her, put his hands on her shoulders. Ursa swallowed, heart pounding.

Gently, she reached up and moved Buddi's head a bit saying,

"Buddi? Buddi? Wake up. We're home."

End of Part One

To Be Continued….