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.

****

There was no doubt in Gritty's mind after hearing Buddi's story. They were going. But the Glen cubs...

"We're going, too. I know Cubbi, and I know myself. I've still got a score to settle with Lady Bane." Sunni smacked a fist into her other palm to emphasize her conviction, lest the adult Barbic deny what she felt was her right. I mean, how many times could they let her chase them down like animals? It was time to put a stop to her.

"Right, Sunni. Let's go get her."

Gritty's eyes narrowed. He passed a look Buddi's way. Still breathing hard after his journey, he merely shrugged.

"We'd better get a move on." Gritty spoke to Buddi. At this point, he didn't care what decision the Glen cubs made. If they were so keen to help out, and he'd seen Cubbi was able to use several of the smaller weapons, to his intense surprise and delight, he really couldn't waste time stopping them. Not with Ursa in trouble.

Gritty ushered Buddi ahead to lead their small band onward.

Ursa arrived in the waking world again with the halt of the carriage. Not Lady Bane but the Troggels were clambering to open the side and carry her out. She was jostled mightily as three carried her overhead. They entered cool air and shadow. The shadow of the witch's castle, no doubt. She didn't need eyes to smell the scent of heavy perfume covering ancient evils, nor to smell the must of old tapestries and drapes needed a good swat. Like the witch herself, the time would soon come. That, Ursa vowed, would come VERY soon.

Dropped unceremoniously onto a hard cobble floor, for all her boasting, she could not suppress an 'Ooof!' at the contact.

"Ah, you're awake. That's good, for me. Bad for you."

Ursa's eyes flew open. She squirmed, trying to free herself or stand but her arms and legs were bound with some type of enchanted rope, she was sure. She couldn't even back away as Lady Bane swooped down and scooped her up again.

"I'm going to enjoy beating that spirit out of you, bear. You might even realize there's no escaping me before I drain your very blood away."

The witch started an evil cackle that angered and frightened Ursa at the same time. Anger won and she started swearing with valiant fervor. "Let go of me, nisha amech!! Pissha etre! Ai tegaya niai, nisha amech!!"

Lady Bane's eyes narrowed. She threw down the Gummi Bear as if a bag of salt. "Such a foul mouth. So, you'll kill _me_, will you?"

The jewel on her headband began to glow. Ursa was lifted off the ground, stunned that the evil human _knew_ what she'd been saying.

"It's time to show you just how powerful I am."

With a snap of fingers, the enchanted ropes unwound from Ursa and she was free! Not quite. Still suspended in the air, Lady Bane turned her back on her and walked to a large book and cauldron set up to one side of the room. Ursa was pulled along in the air against her will.

"Let me GO!"

Lady Bane ignored the struggling Barbic and started sorting through the collected ingredients for her spell. She eyed the ceremonial dagger longingly, but satisfied her yearnings with the knowledge that soon she'd let it deep into the flesh of the annoying Gummi Bear. Then all Gummi Bears would be at her command!

Outside, Grubbi was quietly creeping up on the scene, hoping Buddi had found Gritty, or anybody. He _really_ hoped the cub had found Gritty...

Far Past

Gruffi's limp got a little better as he chased after the brat into the night. Kuriani, urging him to go faster, was just as angry with her little sister. She'd caught him before he could take off, wondering why he was milling about at night in the dark. She didn't know what was about to happen. He knew he couldn't prevent it, but he was darn well gonna stop ONE death. Even if she wouldn't appreciate it right away...

He was just glad the others had remained asleep. They didn't need to see anything that would come. Of the four of them, he perhaps had the strongest constitution to accept the inevitable. He'd fight it, with nearly everything he had, but he knew he'd lose. What difference could he make to the overall battle if a whole town of gummies failed? He steeled himself for the hard truth as they plunged on, pushing out of the dark forest and toward the distant lights ahead.

****