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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"Buddi! That's no reason to scare us half to death!" Ursa took the cub by the hand and marched him back to his room.

After a bit of searching, it was concluded that the Wolfie was indeed missing.

"Mama Ursa, find 'im, pleeeez??"

"Oh... Buddi, not tonight. What with the fire and guests, and YOU, I'm tired. It's not a dire emergency. It can wait for morning."

No matter how the cub yelled or cried, Ursa shushed and held him and rocked him till he slept. The Glens peeked in from the doorway unobtrusively, awed by this side of Ursa. They knew they may never see such a sight again.

Present

"That was amazing." Ramsei, staring at the lovely Barbic leader, approached and bowed.

"Ah, Monsieur, I saw 'er first." Blastus butted the taller knight out of his way.

Gritty pushed them both aside. "Hmph. You have no clue. And besides, she's with me."

Ursa tried to ignore that forward statement. Clearing her throat, she helped a shaky Sunni to her feet.

Buddi couldn't help it. Despite everything, how he felt, what he'd just gone through, despite the world!, he burst out laughing. Ursa just looked so funny!

Near Past

Ryo tensed.

"What is it?"

He didn't bother to look Lundi's way. "Somethin' in the trees..." He scanned the canopy above but could see no further sign or sense of presence.

Malachi, raised in such an environment-- in fact, the same environment in its younger days--, swifted through the woods. Nevi and Pittori seemed to melt out of the shadowed growth to meet him as he landed in a clearing.

"It IS them. They are disguised, with magic no doubt, but it is them!"

"We follow you. You KNOW that, Malachi. But this is WRONG!"

"How badly do you want the past undone, Nevi? Eh? Or are you too old to see past your nose anymore?"

"Don't disrespect your elders." Pittori warned, dangerous.

"Then DO NOT disrespect me. You follow me of your own choice. You don't have to be here. _I_ do!"

"Nevi, he is right." Pittori turned to Malachi. "I will do it."

"No." Malachi kept a choke hold on the stuffed wolf under his arm. "I will. I need you two for interference."

Ursa sighed quietly and shut the door without even a click of sound. Finally, asleep.

"Hey, Ursa," Gritty, wearing a bemused grin, waved her over. He sat with the four newcomers. "They're historians. They wanna record what we have of Barbic history for all Gummi kind."

The Barbic leader snorted. "Wondered why you showed up in our woods. Sorry to disappoint you but you'd have to be Barbic before we give that away freely."

"Well, we already know quite a bit." Zummi put in. "We know Barbics originated from a gand of bards... er I mean, band of guards charged to protect the city of Gummeria. When Gummeria fell, those pre-Barbic gummies moved on to Barbic woods and... Oh... Oh my..." Zummi paled visible, even under this new disguise. He excused himself and stood in a rush, Gruffi and Grammi following. Gritty held Tummi back.

"So... Aubrei... looks like you work out. Ever tried goura fruit for an energy diet?" Thinking he'd found in Tummi a fellow strong-Gummi, the poor 'Aubrei' was left 'uumm'ing.

"Zummi? What's wrong?"

"Grammi... It's... We couldn't... I mean, what Malachi wants... "

"Spit it out!" Gruffi demanded.

"If we were able to change the past and Gummeria didn't fall, there would BE no Barbics! We couldn't have changed it. We CAN'T change it. It's true... History can't be altered..." The wizard steadied himself on the railing of the walk around the hut, saw how high up he was, and all but passed out from the height. "Oh dear, oh dear..."

"So what Malachi wants won't ever happen? It can't. No matter what he does, he'll never get Sachi back."

"But how do we convince him of that?"

"We have to go back. There's only one thing we can change for the better. Malachi has to see Malachi as he is."

Malachi splashed his reflection away as he ran through one of the small puddles holding water and ash from the recent fire, making little bits of noise, leaving signs of his presence. To confuse. Just as Nevi and Pittori were doing in other parts of the forest. Ah, there went the first of the guards, allowing a break in the battlement for him to creep through. Malachi ascended.

It wasn't hard getting past other Barbics. He'd been doing it since he was a pre-teen. Finding which room the cub was in... That was another matter. It took a few tries, as his nose wasn't as good what with the smell of so many Barbics and the scent of fire smoke still in the nostrils. But he found the sleeping child none-the-less. Malachi slipped in through the window.

Sound sleeper. The rogue Barbic regarded the cub a moment before touching his arm.

"Mm?"

"Shhh..." Malachi put a hand over the cub's mouth, which brought Buddi full awake. He tried to scream but Malachi held fast. "Shh! I found Wolfie for you!"

"Hmd?" Buddi stopped thrashing and looked on the stranger with surprise.

Malachi lowered his hand. "Yes, I did. See?" He held out the toy.

"Wolfie!" the cub shrieked with glee, clutching the stuffed wolf.

"Shh! Be quiet!"

"Who are you?"

"Barbic, like you. But you must be quiet. Your mother is in danger."

"Mama Ursa?"

"Yes. You must come with me right now or I can't help her out of danger."

"But..."

"It must be now. Trust me?"

Even as young as he was, Buddi could see a desperation, a truth behind the stranger's eyes. "What's your name?"

"Malachi Barbic." He spoke it with pride.

"Ursa's in trouble? How?"

"Those new strangers. They will hurt her if you don't come with me. Please!"

"...Okay, Malachi. But only if you do climb the tree!"

Malachi quirked a brow at the cub, having seen what Gritti did. "Sure..."

Ursa heard the commotion first and paused Gritti with a hand to the shoulder. "Something's up..."

The pair jogged to the side, looking a tad lower, at the next level down.

"Hey! What goes?" She called to anyone. Some of the Barbics were shimmying up or down tree and vine.

"There's someone in the woods!"

That was enough to get them running.

Ursa halted dead in her tracks.

"Ursa! C'mon!"

She frowned. "... Buddi..." She turned on her heels and dashed back to the cub's room, flinging open the door.

"So how do we--"

"WHERE IS MY CUB? Answer ME!"

Zummi, Gruffi, and Grammi rushed back to Tummi/Aubrei, now being held at sword point by a livid Ursa.

"WHERE IS HE?" She turned her wrath on the other three Glens. They were strangers, and no one else had access recently to the woods. They MUST know where her cub is!

Grammi gasped as she realized. "Buddi... Oh no! Malachi took Buddi?"

"WHO is Malachi?!"

"Sure they're bad?" Buddi asked, toddling after Malachi. This Barbic, though a stranger, must be good. He found Wolfie, and he was gonna help Ursa, but still... The cub frowned. "Grammi's nice."

"Maybe so, but the other three are not."

Nevi all but appeared in front of them. "They've been led off by Pittori."

"Another one!" Buddi squealed in delight, having never seen so many unfamiliar faces before and assuming the 'they' who were led off were the 'bad gummies' and not his own family of Barbics.

Nevi regarded the cub curiously and mentally shook his head. He looked away. He shouldn't have come. None of them should have come...

"We have to move farther away. Get the cub to safety and all." A mocking grin curled the edge of Malachi's mouth.

"When you gonna save Ursa?"

"Soon, Buddi. Soon."

"How'd you know my name?"

"Ursa told me."

"What's his name?"

"Never mind."

"Nevermind Barbic? That's weird."

Attempting to proceed onward, Malachi halted and turned angrily on the cub. "No! Please be quiet! We must pass through the woods before--"

"Ursa!" Buddi rushed forward, and into the arms of his guardian. "You're safe!"

Oh, but she reeked of anger and fury. Her cub didn't notice, nor did he care that the four Glen gummies were right behind Ursa and her mini army of the whole population of Barbic Woods.

Pittori was marched forward at sword point to stand with his fellows.

"Who are you? I demand to know!" Ursa all but screamed.

"Malachi Barbic. Pittori Barbic. Nevi Barbic." Malachi indicated each one.

"No. No true Barbic would take a cub from his... his home and family." In denying it, she took in their clothes, their physical appearance, their total Barbic-ness. She sneered at the three. "You are no Barbics." She handed Buddi off to Grubbi and launched herself at Malachi, sword drawn.

Malachi countered with two small daggers he pulled from hip holsters. The two warriors clashed.

"Hmph. She's just as much a hothead now as back with us." Gruffi muttered.

"Whaddo we do?" Tummi muttered, biting on a hand to still his antsiness. When he brought his hand out, it was no longer the disguised light violet color but returning to his normal pale blue. "Uh... Zummi?"

"_Aubrei_... Now's not the best time to ask when breakfast is." the wizard commented.

"No, Zummi... Look!" Tummi pointed out the changes occurring in all three of the disguised bears.

"My stars! We're changing back!"

The troop of Barbics now raised their weapons to the Glens, slowly backing away as they altered appearance.

"So much for keeping it secret." Gruffi muttered. "C'mon, Zummi. Now's as good a time as any." He grabbed Zummi by the hand and hauled him into the row between Ursa and Malachi. Grammi and Tummi chased after. Before the other Barbics realized and made pursuit, Zummi had discovered the spell and cast it again. The only sound that echoed in the woods after the disappearance of the Glens, the past Barbics, and Ursa was the wail of her cub, crying out her name.

Far Past

The bright flash of magic froze the duel. Blinking away the light, Ursa's eyes focused on... What in the--?? It... It looked like Barbic Woods, but not so grown. Aged, if you will. The 'Barbic'-nisha was still in front of her, as were the other two of his pals. Her hand gripped the sword hilt tightly.

Gruffi grabbed her from behind, Zummi and Grammi also holding Ursa back.

"Ursa, stop! Please! You don't understand!"

"What's to understand? You took my Buddi! WHY??" the Barbic leader strained against the three.

"What in Gum is going on here??"

All turned to see the personage approaching. Strong willed, light-rust furred, and wearing the exact same helmet as Ursa. Kuriani frowned, her step skipping a beat as she truly saw the rabble before her. "...Pittori? Nevi?" Her gaze swung to the adult Malachi and her eyes went round.

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