Forgiveness

Authors Note: This story is based around the last part of the movie and is mainly from Koda's perspective.

I watched as the two moose Rutt and Tuke walked away from me through the snow that had fallen covering everything in a layer of fluffy freezing white. The snow would melt soon enough since it wasn't winter yet. Listening to them speaking had been a profound revelation especially when Tuke had talked about how things could change how a individual could change, could reform.

It made me think of Kenai. When Kenai had told me the truth, told me that he was really a human who'd been changed into a bear to right a terrible wrong he'd committed out of a mixture of ignorance and emotion, I hadn't known what to think. I knew the great spirits could change things in the world but to change one species into another was unusual thing to do even for them. Though it explained some of the strangeness that I'd observed around Kenai – and the nervousness I'd seen Kenai initially show around the other bears and the strange sadness that I'd seen come into his eyes when that hunter had been pursuing us. Then Kenai had told me that mom was dead and as much admitted that he was her killer.

Unable to bear it I had to run away, unable to face not only the fact that I would never see mom again but that the strange bear who'd become my friend was the one responsible for her mothers death. I also felt tremendous anger and sudden hatred for Kenai as I knew somehow that Kenai had spoken the truth. When Kenai had pursued me and spoken I'd observed him from up a tree. I hadn't noticed it at the time but now thinking back I realise that their had been genuine remorse and sorrow in Kenai's voice when he'd spoken, not to mention a great deal of self loathing. Kenai hated himself for what he had done.

I looked in the direction that Kenai had gone. His footprints were clearly visible in the snow though Kenai himself was far out of my sight. He was heading for the mountain where the lights of the great spirits touched the earth. Though the heartache of moms death was still their in my heart the anger and hatred had gone as I suddenly realised that it had been out of love for me that Kenai had told me the truth knowing full well that I would almost certainly hate him for it. In its place was a forgiveness and I was surprised to realise that I did care about Kenai as well and could forgive him. I must tell Kenai that, I thought, I must tell Kenai that I forgive him. I just hope I get to him before he does something to himself or lets that hunter find him. If he's killed before he knows I forgive him, that I need him then I don't know what I'll do.

Quickly I got to my feet and started running following Kenai's tracks through the snow. I ran and ran with a speed that I hadn't known myself capable of.

In no time at all I reached the base of the mountain and began to climb following Kenai's footprints up a trail that lead up the mountain. The wind tore at me but I kept climbing, I had to find Kenai, had to get to him.

Soon I came across other footprints following Kenai's, human footprints. The hunter's found him, I thought in fear as I started running again following the prints.

Soon I could hear the sounds of a fight and I came around a rock to see Kenai flat on his back the hunter looming over him preparing to plunge a dagger into his heart.

"Nooo," I yelled running straight at the hunter. We collided before the hunter could even begin to react. Pain blasted through my head at the moment of impact as both me and the hunter were knocked flying by the force of impact.

With a shuddering impact that I felt in every bone in my body I came to a rest and got up hearing Kenai's say my name in shock and he knew that he had never expected to see me again.

The hunter got to his feet at that moment and rounded towards me anger plain on his face and fear ran through me as he realised that the hunter was going to kill me before finishing off Kenai. The hunter started running towards where his spear was lying in the snow not far away. I turned and ran ahead of the hunter and picked the spear up in my mouth I needed to get rid of this otherwise the hunter would use it to kill both me and Kenai. I'd throw it off the edge of the cliff.

Then I stumbled on a rock and fell and the spear was torn from my mouth. Horror gripped me as I saw the hunter speed past and grab the weapon.

"No Denahi leave him alone," I heard Kenai say and saw him racing to the hunter who he obviously knew in an attempt to stop him hurting me. To my horror the hunter braced himself for the attack holding out the spear in a position that it would strike Kenai in the heart. I was relieved when Kenai altered his charge slightly in an attempt at evasion but he was wasn't quiet quick enough. The sharp stone at the top of the stick sliced into Kenai's shoulder he howled in pain. And I could only watch helpless to help since I was no real threat to the hunter Denahi.

Then a giant spirit eagle abruptly appeared and grabbed Kenai pulling him away from Denahi and lifting him high into the air. Simultaneously the spirits appeared in the sky overhead and the snow beneath us melted to be replaced by grass and flowers

I watched in amazement and awe as Kenai was slowly lowered back to the ground by the eagle. The light of the spirits swirled around him and he vanished from my view. The light dispersed and I saw something that made me back away in fear. Kenai was gone in his place was another human. Was I seeing Kenai's true form?

"Kenai," I heard a voice say and I turned slightly to see Denahi looking in shock at the man before him. All hostility gone. I did not understand what was happening. What was going on here.

The eagle set down nearby and morphed into another man this one translucent. I watched him move up to Denahi and gently unwrap something from around the tip of the spear then he took some cloak thing that Denahi was wearing from around him as Denahi looked at the spear with what I could have sworn was horror before throwing it away.

By now I was very frightened. Here I was surrounded by two humans and in my experience humans only want to kill bears. Were they going to kill me now.

"Please don't hurt me," I said backing away behind a rock. I was surprised when Kenai approached me. I backed away from him afraid that he was going to attack me.

"Koda," I heard him say. "Koda don't be afraid. It's me I won't hurt you," he added. And then I knew that although his form had changed Kenai was still Kenai. The one who had become my friend and surrogate big brother.

"Kenai," I yelled in joy leaping at him. He caught me and pulled me close. "Kenai take me out of here please I'm scared." He didn't seem to understand me he just held me close for a couple of moments. And in his arms I felt safe and loved, I knew that he would never allow anyone to harm me.

After a few more moment he gently put me down and I just looked at him and I saw love in his eyes. Love and gratitude. Did he somehow know that I forgave him? Had my mere presence here been enough to communicate that to him.

The spirit who I guessed had to be Sitka the brother Kenai had told me about when we were riding the mammoths approached then and gently put something in his hand something made of wood.

I looked at it curiously it was a wooden carving… of a bear. A bear that if I looked at it hard enough I could recognise as being a representation of the bear Kenai had been.

Kenai looked at the bear carving then back at me and I could see that he was coming to a decision about something. Something to do with me.

"He needs me," I heard him say. What did he mean by that. He pulled me into a brief hug before gently putting me down.

Then a light out of the corner of my eyes caught my attention and I saw another spirit form coalesce into being. It was mom. Ignoring Kenai, Denahi and Sitka I raced towards her completely unaware of whatever they were now doing.

I reached mom and she reached out a translucent paw and pulled me close to her nuzzling my fur with her snout. It didn't feel quiet like it had when she was alive but it felt real. Mom didn't speak she just gently nuzzled me letting me know that she loved me and that she missed me.

How long we stayed like that I don't know. But a lifetime too soon she pulled away and began walking back up towards the ribbons of light in the sky. Watching her go I felt at peace inside and I knew somehow that she would always be with me, always be watching over me until the time comes when I myself become a spirit.

Then the spirit of Sitka joined her morphing into an eagle again as he did so then they were both gone. The lights pulsed once then vanished and daylight abruptly returned.

I turned around then and received a surprise. Kenai was facing me, but he wasn't a man he was a bear again. I could see the wooden carving hanging from his neck. And I suddenly knew what he'd done. He'd chosen to be a bear again, he'd chosen to stay with me.

"Kenai," I cried as overwhelming joy flooded through me. I leapt at him knocking him onto his back and he playfully tossed me up and down before setting me down on the grass and righting himself.

Only for Denahi to dive at him from behind yet this time I knew that Denahi meant us no harm that he was only playing with us. Kenai shrugged him off and stood up on his hind legs so he towered over Denahi and made a playful swipe at him with his paw.

Denahi effortlessly ducked laughing.

"You got to try better than that little brother," I heard him say and I was startled to realise that indeed Kenai and Denahi were brothers. Then I berated myself silently for not seeing it sooner.

"Oh try this then," I heard Kenai say and watched him gently pick Denahi up and move him over to another area before putting him down.

"Hey I understood you then," I heard Denahi say in shock. "Sitka must have done something." That's an interesting thought, I thought.

"Can you understand me as well," I asked coming up. Denahi looked at me and I could clearly see the surprise on his face and I knew that he could.

"Well then maybe some introductions are in order," Kenai said. "Denahi meet Koda. Koda meet Denahi."

Before we all could speak further an icy blast of wind struck us and I shivered despite the fact that my fur is thick, I was also tired the effort I had expended in getting here and in the fight with Denahi was starting to catch up with me. I couldn't help but yawn.

"I'm tired," I said unnecessarily. "Can we go now?" Another icy blast washed over us and this time I did notice Denahi shiver.

"Getting out of here would be a good idea," Denahi agreed. "Before we freeze to death up here. Or at least I will since I don't have a thick coat of fur like you two."

"Yes we should go," Kenai agreed. "Before the weather closes in up here."

"Great," I said and started to move back along the path down the mountain. I was aware of Kenai and Denahi following.

As we walked I glanced back at Kenai. And I wondered what the future would hold for us now. Whatever happened I had my brother back and I seemed to have gained another one in the form of Denahi. Whatever happened I have a family again.

And that is all that really matters.

The End