Growing Up

The Barbics, Glens and any other Disney characters are copyrighted to Disney and we claim no ownership. However, any new characters are copyrighted to Ulisa, Silver Fox and Cheetah the Furry. This plot is a collaboration of Ulisa, Silver Fox, and Cheetah the Furry.

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After the mountain climb, the haiana group seemed in better spirits than when they first began. They had stopped briefly for both breakfast and lunch, although the food was scarce and the meals far in between.

Grubbi took note of Buddi as they walked. Although he had the appearance of being proud, which Grubbi was sure was in someway true, there was also a hidden fear to him. Grubbi, having lived through several such haianas; this being his third, he knew that various emotions emerged and he knew quite well of the Barbic cub's fear of heights. He knew Ursa did too.

Oh, Buddi wouldn't say it on this haiana. The only time that the Barbics would be allowed to speak would be after they had stopped for the night. Then, the haiana was seemingly on pause for the moment and they could talk, although most kept conversations to a minimum. But Grubbi needed to speak with Ursa, he had seen it in her eyes as she helped Buddi up onto the mountaintop…pride mixed with agonizing fear.

Grubbi turned and saw that the cub was tiring. Ursa was starting to have to slap his back to keep him walking. Grubbi could not blame him. They had awakened early and the poor cub probably had not slept well, not knowing what to expect. He turned and raised his left hand to halt them.

Buddi, grateful for any rest, gladly stopped, Ursa behind him. For the first time that day, since before they had left Ursalia, Grubbi spoke,

"We'll stop here for the night."

It took all Buddi's will power not to let out a sigh of relief. Grubbi removed his sack as did Ursa and Buddi mimicked their movements. Grubbi and Ursa set about setting up a makeshift shelter, kinda like a tent. There was just one big one, they would have to sleep together. But the cub didn't mind that. If he weren't so hungry he would pass out right then from the pain in his body and the exhaustion from the early rising hour.

Grubbi turned to cub, reached into his sack and withdrew a small bow and five arrows. Tossing them to Buddi, he said,

"The Barbic way, this is your haiana, not ours. You catch your own dinner or you don't eat."

Ursa turned to gasp and glare at Grubbi but the elder Barbic made no reaction and made a dismissing gesture with his hand. He hated that part of the haianas most of all, as he knew as well as Ursa that Buddi was not yet well trained with a bow, not well enough to kill anything big.

Buddi was shocked, stunned, and horrified. He was so used to always having meat. Always having food ready. He knew basic cooking skills and basic hunting and tracking skills but he wasn't a hunter! Not yet! Buddi looked at the bow and arrow and his stomach dictated he had to try so he took off as Grubbi called,

"until sunset. We don't need to be looking for you in the dark."

Once Buddi left, Ursa practically attacked Grubbi.

"Are you insane? Buddi can't possibly catch anything. He hasn't been trained in that!"

"If he's hungry enough, he'll learn."

"And if he doesn't?"

"He isn't physically ready for a haiana and we retreat back to Ursalia to try again after his next birthday. If in three days he has not learned to catch a thing then we feed him our own supplies and the haiana is a failed attempt."

Grammi walked about Ursalia, not sure where she was going but she had to go somewhere. The good news was that the Barbics were no longer watching them like hawks. They had extra guards posted amongst the gates however. Grammi was walking through the Barbic halls. She noted a light in Ursa's room.

Curious, Grammi pushed the door open and saw that the oil lamp was gleaming brightly although Ursa would never have been so reckless to leave it on. Her intuition told her that something was up. Glancing around for any signs of Barbics, she entered the room, feeling relieved that Ursa was absent. Had the Barbic leader found her snooping…well, Grammi did not underestimate a Barbic's rage.

Grammi noted several charts laid out but her attention for a reason she could not determine was drawn back towards the Barbic's dresser. One of the lower drawers had been disheveled. But Grammi spied a box at the bottom, with a small hook keeping it from opening. It looked quite old and that was enough the heighten her curiosity.

Lifting it out, she slowly unhooked it, expecting to find daggers or perhaps some small bolas. She found neither. To her surprise, shock and perhaps glee, she found herself staring at childhood mementos. But not Ursa's childhood. No, as Grammi looked, rather ashamed at herself but unable to resist the urge, she found small and obviously old portraits. Obviously it was when there were more Barbics to speak of. This one was an artist and the painting, although small was of Buddi she realized, as a small cub, perhaps only a few hours old.

Grammi was shocked as she became aware that this was Ursa's memory box, the few items she had managed to salvage from her former home's end. Barbics were so hard…yet…these items obviously meant a great deal to the Barbic leader. There were only a few more items but she also noted in the drawer was a small and ragged stuffed wolf, with nose and one eye missing. Obviously the Barbic equivalent of a blanket, given to younger cubs. Ursa was a mother, as much as Grammi was…

Suddenly feeling ashamed, Grammi replaced the box and kicked herself mentally for intruding. But it made her feel a little better. Ursa felt enough love as she did and that made her feel that this haiana would not be extremely dangerous.

Her attention was drawn to the charts. She looked them over briefly and was horrified. They were of the surrounding countryside and of possible homes she noted. Obviously it had been done after the Barbics had moved into Ursalia should another disaster occur. But Grammi know who had been planning these and why.

"Ryo…he's…oh Great Gum."

He would find an excuse to throw them out. Grammi felt it in her bones. Ursa would never have allowed such a thing.

But Ursa wasn't here.

Cubbi looked around, not really sure how long he had been here. Then he did finally see a face he recognized.

"Sir Gallent!"

The Gummi knight no longer floated as he had before but was solid. He walked over to the cub and said, in a voice gentle.

"You best leave here, lad. It is not your time yet."

"Not my…what?"

"You've much to do before you come here."

"But…"

"Wake up lad."

"I'm not dreaming-"

"WAKE UP!"

A smack made the illusion fade and Cubbi sat up, rubbing his cheek.

Sunni breathed again. She had finally been able to venture out into the rain and swore she had been guided. Cubbi had been collapsed on the ground, in the mud, breathing shallowly. She was lucky to have found him. She'd dragged him back to the tree she was in, surprised at how heavy he was; it was as if he were a dead weight.

Now as Cubbi sat up, Sunni embraced him and cried with relief.

Buddi headed back towards camp as the sun went down. His growling stomach told that his quest had ended miserably. And he knew that even if Ursa and Grubbi pitied him, that they would not break tradition. He would just have to wait until morning.

Grubbi approached the cub and didn't even have to ask. He saw by his fallen face. He took the weapons and said,

"Go and get some sleep. Ursa's set the tent up. We'll be in to join you in a bit."

Knowing better than to argue, Buddi did as asked, ignoring Ursa's pitied look. He merely walked through the tied drapes covering the entrance, reclosed them, and laid down on his blankets, pulling a warm fur quilt over himself, so exhausted he didn't even bother to put on his pajamas. His stomach protested and the cub licked his lips hungrily and tried to ignore it.

He heard talking but he did not understand what they were saying as it was muted.

"Grubbi…"

"Ursa, I've been on two haianas previous to this one, one when I was seventeen and one when I was your age. I saw the horror in your eyes after we climbed that mountain and I felt the tug when Buddi fell. A haiana is in two parts. One is physical strength which is why there is no talk during the day so the focus is on the physical aspects. But night is the time to focus the mental challenges. The time to 'lose' ourselves. Go and talk to Buddi. I saw fear in Buddi's eyes before we even left. Now go find out what it is."

Ursa rose; knowing Grubbi was right and despising that fact. But she knew that haianas required some soul bearing so she took a breath and without a word, entered the tent.

"Buddi?"

The cub turned. Ursa sat by his side and said,

"I know you're hungry."

"I tried," came the quiet reply. Ursa nodded,

"I know. But there are some things I don't know."

Buddi turned. Ursa took a breath,

"Why the fear Buddi? Even before this haiana. And don't hide it. This is the mental strength. Baring the soul. It's hard for me too. So open up and tell me why you looked on this haiana with fear."

Buddi knew. But…

"Where are we going?" he tried to divert the attention from him. Ursa didn't buy it.

"You'll find out. Now tell me."

Buddi took a deep breath. This felt odd, and unbarbic in a way as Ursa never did this. But if the haiana required…

"Because I'm afraid that it'll make me relive memories I don't want to relive." Before Ursa said a word, Buddi continued, "Before we lost Barbic Woods…I've been thinking about that a lot Ursa, I was naïve and I know it. I was young, foolish, stupid even."

Ursa made no reply so the child went on,

"But I look back now and wish to Gum I was still an idiot. Still so unscathed. I wish I didn't know war. I wish I didn't know hate. I wish I didn't know loss! But I do! And this is gonna make me relive a lot of those thoughts, I know it will. It's just the way haianas are from what I've heard. And I don't wanna remember the loss, the pain. I wanna forget. I wanna be ignorant again Ursa." He fell silent and awaited her reply.

Ursa was stunned; how could she answer that? That was where they were going. She and Grubbi had fought in the early morning hours and finally agreed that venturing back to their former home would be the best way to get Buddi's strength up, both physically and mentally.

But how could she answer this child? She didn't know but she had to.

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