Disclaimer: Disney owns Kenai, Koda and everyone else in the movie. I only own Ken'ichi, Kamali and the list of characters in my ff profile.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The three bears are pinned against a mountain wall, no way of climbing up to safety, the only thing standing between them and freedom is the hunter slowly stalking toward them, spear ready in hand.

"Get away!" Koda growls, stepping back as the hunter gets closer. Ken'ichi stands his ground, growling furiously at the hunter, but right before he would even think of charging for an attack, Kamali places one of his forepaws in front of Ken'ichi, stopping him from getting closer to the hunter and for protection.

"I'm gonna try to distract him, as I'm doing that you two run for cover!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 10: The end of the road

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kamali growls at the hunter, who is slowly approaching ever so close to them. Koda and Ken'ichi watch, waiting for that moment that Kamali told them to wait. It seemed like forever, but when the hunter went for the attack, Kamali jumps out of the way and bites into the hunter's spear, trashing his head to yank it from his hands, but the hunter won't let go of it as he holds it with both hands.

'Now!'
Koda's body took over and he goes into a mad dash past Kamali and the hunter, it took Ken'ichi by surprise but in an instant he follows Koda's example and runs for it, leaving Kamali behind to deal with the hunter.

'Good…' Kamali thought, closing his eyes as he still holds on to the spear. 'They're gone…Now I can go…In peace…'

The hunter struggles to free his spear from the bear's mouth, but the grip is too strong for the human to pull the spear free; instead the human holds on to the spear with one hand as he reaches over to the knife that lies in its holster around his waist, his intentions on hurting Kamali with it.

But the bear isn't a fool; he spots the tactic and releases his bite on the spear, suddenly jumping back for space between him and the hunter. The hunter stalks forward, anger deeply evident on his face as he gets closer for the attack. He swings his spear, the bear ducks and avoids the attack. Another swing of the spear leaves the bear jumping and avoiding another attempt from the human. But Kamali is finding himself with much more of a challenge in dodging the attacks, as the hunter is closing the distance with each swing of its long spear, it'll be a few seconds before his dodging space would run out and it'll be the end of him.

'That doesn't matter…' Kamali talks to himself as he dodges another spear, already feeling his little tail touching the mountain wall. 'At least they're safe…Now I can leave…My purpose complete…'

---------------------------------------------------

Koda and Ken'ichi were both silent as they flee from the hunter, their minds tracing back to Kamali, worried about their teen bear friend. Will he be alright? Would he survive or end up dead? Neither one of them wants to believe that he'll die, but the odds are pretty much against Kamali now.

"Ken'ichi…" Koda whispers, slowing down his run into a walk until he comes to a complete stop.

"What is it!" Ken'ichi cries as he keeps running, looking over his shoulder and stopping. "We can't stop! For all we know that hunter could be following us!"

Koda shakes his head. "No…He's not, but…I…"

"What? Worried about Kamali?"

Koda nods. "I just don't feel right leaving him behind with the hunter! Like I told you before, I lost my mom to a hunter!" Koda sharply closes his eyes, remembering that day when Kenai told him the awful truth. "I…" He opens his eyes, looking straight into Ken'ichi's. "I don't want to face that again if Kamali dies!"

Ken'ichi opens his mouth to talk, but nothing comes out, he closes his snout and scratches his mane, glaring at nothing as he reflects on Koda's words. He almost forgot that they both hold something in common; they've both lost someone near and dear to them. "Yeah well, the idea of having him die isn't so appealing to me either." He finally responds. "Well, let's do something about it then!"

Koda blinks, noticing a grin in Ken'ichi's face, he shakes his head and get closer to the black cub. "Are you serious! The both of us going back, face that hunter and try to save him!"

Ken'ichi shrugs. "Why not?"

Koda giggles, grinning at Ken'ichi. "I thought you'd never asked."

---------------------------------------------------

"Koda…I hope you're alright…"

'Some brother I have become…' Kenai thinks to himself as he sits on the shallow part of the river, staring up at the blue sky. The bear is getting impatient, it hasn't been long since he has arrived to the Salmon Run, but three days should've been enough for Koda to arrive already, especially since the cub knows the way better than him!

"Koda…Where are you?"

"Yo! Kenai!" Tug calls out from behind him, the massive bear towering over Kenai as he drops a salmon next to him. "Eat up! You haven't eaten anything ever since you got here!"

"Hm? Oh, thanks…" Kenai weakly responds, looking down at the salmon and picking it up, toying with it in his paws, his mind busy with worry about Koda.

"What's wrong, Kenai? You look way down in the dumps!" Tug expresses, chuckling as the he sits next to Kenai. "Still no sign of Koda?"

"No…" Kenai sighs, poking at the salmon with his claws. "The poor cub…All alone somewhere, probably scared to death…Chased by tigers or even hunters…" He sighs again, putting the salmon away and looking down at his reflection in the shallow water, staring at the totem around his neck. "Some brother I turned out to be…"

Tug blinks, scratching at his mane. "That doesn't sound like the Kenai I know." Kenai raises his head and looks up at Tug. "I mean, c'mon, you know Koda better then that!" Tug continues, grinning down at his smaller friend. "He's almost an adult; he can take care of himself. I should know!" He finishes with a laugh, a laugh that also sucks Kenai in, laughing as well.

"I guess you're right." Kenai smiles, his confident of his little brother's survival skills returning. "He's a strong little cub, he'll be alright."

"Of course he will!" Tug assures, giving off a slight chuckle after and slapping Kenai's back gently. "Now eat up! You want to be at your best when he arrives, don't you?"

Kenai laughs. "Yeah, you're right." He picks the salmon up with a smile, looking up at Tug. "Thanks…"

---------------------------------------------------

'Spear me all you want…' Kamali mentally cried, backed up against the mountain wall and facing the hunter. 'I have served my purpose this time…Go ahead and send me back…'

The hunter is now deadly close, rearing back his spear getting ready for the kill. Kamali could only watch without fear as he willingly faces what is coming to him now, watching as the hunter's spear is reared back, and then, in a few seconds the spear comes down. Kamali just stays staring at the hunter, ready for the inevitable…Then…

"Roar!" A roar breaks out from nowhere, making the hunter flinch and stop his attack. Then the next thing Kamali sees is a black blur zooming in and tackling the hunter off his feet and unto the ground.

"Wha?" Kamali mutters dumbfounded, staring at the black thing that just saved his life and changing his plans entirely. "Ke…Ken'ichi?"

Ken'ichi stands there, bold and brave as he stares at the hunter that he just tackled down. "That's for sneaking up on us!" The black cub grins; proud of what he had done, feeling like he has just gotten revenge for what the humans have done to him, for taking his family.

"C'mon Kamali!"

Kamali blinks, that was Koda's voice. "Koda?" He questions, slowly turning his head to spot Koda standing there motioning his head. "What are you two doing here! I thought I told you to run!"

Koda shakes his head. "Not without you!"

Kamali growls, he is working with two cubs who practically doesn't follow any orders or rules, do stuff they see in their eyes what's correct, helping others regardless their own danger. It will be their undoing someday, but for now, they saved another's life.
'No no no! That wasn't part of our plan!' Kamali thinks, shaking his head. 'So close to the Salmon Run too!'

"You two need to go! Now!" He growls, trotting over to Ken'ichi and grabbing the cub by the mane, then changing direction and chases after Koda, forcing the cub to turn around and flee or get run over by the teen bear. "Just run!"

Koda didn't need to be told twice, he doesn't even need to hear it again, being chased by a bear just keep him running and a hunter who wants to kill him is enough a reason to run. Koda looks over his shoulder, managing to catch the hunter chasing them from behind Kamali, this giving him more of a reason to run for it or either get killed or trampled. Ken'ichi isn't calm either, in fact, he's sort of angry. When he tackled the hunter down, when he looked directly in his eyes, he could sense the hunter's desires, could practically read his mind. He wanted to kill them, for sport or desires, whatever the reason is. Ken'ichi's mind suddenly went into a flashback reel, the painful images of seeing his mother and brother dead, the sudden reminder of how he witnessed his father fall down that cliff, the aftermath ending in his death. The cub clutches his head, the painful memories zapping through his mind…

"Father!"

"Mom, where are you going at this hour?"

"Come home soon…"

"Not that way, Ken'ichi."

"Mom!"

"Maybe this trip was for nothing…"

"You don't know how I feel!"

"Please no! Come with me!"

"Dad, but why?"

"Bro, I'm scared!"

"Mom…Why…"

"No…Not you too…"

"Dad…Don't go…"

"I lost him…Like I lost her…"

"I don't want you to end like them!"

"It's all my fault…"

"I don't wanna lose you…"

"No…Kamali no…"

Ken'ichi's eyes shoot open, a threatening growl escaping his lips.

"Hm?" Kamali mutters, setting his eyes down at Ken'ichi. "Ken'ichi?"

"Whoa! Oof!"

"Huh-Waaah!"

"Whoa!"

The bears haven't been paying attention much to the road, stumbling on a tree root sticking out of the ground and rolling down a hill.

"Gaah!" Koda cries as he smacks right on a tree.

"Aaagh!" Kamali wails as his body slams right on a huge boulder.

"Guuh!" Ken'ichi just drops onto the ground, dropping from Kamali's jaws at least kept him airborne to land on the ground rather than smacking against something.

"Ow…" Kamali mutters, slowly getting up and clutching where the boulder struck. "Ow ow ow!" He yelps, clutching the bruise with both paws.

Koda however, was the more winded out, he must've tripped with low breath and the slam unto the tree knocked whatever breath he had in him, leaving him dazed.

"Koda?" Ken'ichi mutters, a bit dazed from the drop himself. "You OK?" his vision was a blur, that type of drop can be such a daze for a cub as young as him. He shakes his head and adjusts his vision, and what he sees next forces a gasp from the cub…

The hunter makes it; setting his eyes unto the closest bear he has…Koda!

"Oh no…" Ken'ichi mutters.

The hunter, who lost his spear thanks to Ken'ichi's tackle, draws out his knife, stalking over to the stunned Koda, ready for the kill.

"Koda…Watch…" Ken'ichi chokes; the scene is reminding him so much of his father's last moments that it chokes the voice out of him. He glances over at Kamali, but the bear is still struggling to get up from the aching bruise he must've suffered from his collision to the boulder.

The hunter is now dangerously close, slowly raising his knife and readying to end a bear's life. The shadow looming over Koda rids of his daze, lifting his head and seeing the hunter towering over him, knife raised and ready for the kill. "No…" Koda mutters, his hope of meeting with Kenai again lost. He closes his eyes, ready for the end…

"Hold it right there! Stop!"

Koda was braced for the worse, but the blow never came. He opens his eyes, seeing the hunter nowhere in sight. He looks around and spots Ken'ichi, on top of the hunter struggling with him. "Ken'ichi!" Koda cries, slowly standing up.

"Ken'ichi, no!" Kamali cries, already on all four but still in a bit of pain. "Get away!"

But the cub is already too far into the struggle with the hunter, but a mistake he comes to regret. The hunter still has a grip on his knife, but Ken'ichi has a bit of a strong grip on his bite on the hunter's arm. The hunter grabs the knife with his other hand, rears it back…

"Gaaah!" Ken'ichi's eyes widen, any cries of pain he was going to cry out has been choked out by the pain he has been inflicted on.

"No! Ken'ichi!" Koda cries, his eyes widen at what he's staring at. The hunter just…Just stabbed him…Stabbed him right on his side…Practically shattering his ribs with the force…

"No…No!" Kamali shouts, unable to believe what he's seeing.
'I failed…'

The hunter simply just pushes Ken'ichi off after slamming the knife right into his side, getting up and looking down at what he has done. Koda however is getting angry, his claws sinking into the ground, seeing what he has done to his friend just pushed out the raging ball of brown fur. "You…You…ROAR!" He charges with a deafening roar! The hunter turns around and gasps in surprise, the human is weaponless. A strong, good tackle from Koda was all that was needed to send the hunter against a tree, but when the hunter wobbly got up and get away, Koda just charged again and smacked right onto the hunter again, the human rolls down a hill and falls unto some rocks, smacking his head and drops limp, the smack rendered the hunter unconscious.

"Grrr…" Koda growls, looking down the hill at the hunter, there's no danger emitting from him for now.

"Ken'ichi…"

Koda suddenly springs back to his senses, turning around and running back to his fallen friend. Kamali is already there looking after him, the look of anguish on his face. "Ken'ichi…" Koda whispers as he nuzzles his wounded friend. He looks over Ken'ichi's condition, the poor cub is suffering massive pain, evident on the force he's putting on clutching the ground with his claws, grimacing and growling in pain.

"I'm…Not gonna make it…Aren't I?" Ken'ichi says, managing to say something.

"Don't talk like that…" Koda softly speaks. "We're almost there! If you could get on Kamali's back, we can find help and you'll be OK!"

Ken'ichi growls, sinking his claws again into the ground from that pain they know he's feeling. "No…You better go ahead without me…"

Koda blinks, slowly shaking his head. "No…No!" Tears are now forming in Koda's eyes, though he's trying his best not to cry. "I can't leave you behind! We've been through so much and we're almost there! I just can't!"

"And what do you expect me to do!" Ken'ichi growls, the cub is wounded, but not enough to keep him from shouting, though that costs him as he winces again. "Guh! Uugh…Look…You have someone to go to at the Salmon Run…While I…I got nothing…Better off you go…"

Koda shakes his head. "But I…I don't want to leave you behind…"

But Ken'ichi didn't answer, his eyes just close. Kamali shakes his head, bowing his head. "…Ken'ichi…"

---------------------------------------------------

It didn't take long for them to leave the scene; it was a hard thing to do as it was admitting the fact that no matter what they could do, Ken'ichi is going to die.

Koda was silent during the remainder of the journey, not bothering to say anything as his mind is still back with Ken'ichi, recapping everything they went through in their journey before a hunter's knife ended it all.

"We're here…" Kamali expresses, standing on top of a small hill. Koda emerges from behind, his face suddenly sporting a grin from ear to ear, joy filling his spirit as he watches over a large river area, bears running about catching the abundant numbers of salmon swimming around the river, a paradise for bears. During his scan around the area, he spots the bear he's looking for…

"Kenai!" Koda cries out, immediately running down the hill to meet up with his big brother. "Kenai! Kenai!" Koda cries out even louder, running and splashing through the river as he closes in quickly to his big brother.

"Huh! Koda!" Kenai questions, immediately stopping his fishing spree and then turning around to spot his little brother, racing toward him. "Hahah! Koda!" He happily cries, also running to his brother. Koda, so happy to see him, pounces on him as soon as the distance between them closes, the pounce sending Kenai down on his back to the shallow water, both of them locked in a great, big bear hug!

"I missed you so much!" Koda cries, hugging his big brother and nuzzling up to him.
"I missed you too!" Kenai happily expresses. "I thought I would lose you to those hunters…I was so worried!"

"Hunters"
That word triggers the memory of Ken'ichi again, Koda's eyes opening and looking up at the sky. "Ken'ichi…"

---------------------------------------------------

Night has fallen…The sky shining bright with its stars, the Northern Lights dancing on top of the mountain which kissed the sky…A beautiful scene to witness…And that scene is what driving Koda's mind at ease, watching at the Northern Lights dancing in the sky assures him that wherever Ken'ichi is, he's sure he's back with his family…

"Thinking about him, eh?"

Koda jumps, thrown out of his little thought trance, looking behind him to see who the one that has disturbed him is. "Kamali."

Kamali smiles, padding closer and sits down next to Koda. "Don't worry, wherever he is, I'm sure he's no longer in pain."

Koda smiles a bit. "Yeah, I guess…"

"You know…" Kamali starts, scratching at his mane and lying back on his back. "I wouldn't even be surprised if he does survive. I mean, he's done it a lot back in the day."

Koda blinks. Back in the day? Kamali never knew Ken'ichi until two days ago, how can he say such a very meaning thing when he barely knows much of the cub? "What do you mean?"

"Well…" The teen bear continues, staring up at the Northern Lights. "After his mother died he tried to do everything by himself, never asked for help. That attitude sort of resulted in his brother's death, the cub trying to get some food for himself, his brother then teached him on how to find his own food, which didn't do well because they were spotted by hunters. His brother gave his life to save him."

Koda blinks, remaining in deep thought…This doesn't feel right…How can Kamali know this?

Kamali continues. "And well, his life hasn't been so well with his father, but he put up with it. His mother and brother's loss was huge for him, you know. Scarred him for life, and that scar he has really tells a story. He tried saving his brother though, but he got wounded and there he got his scar." He pauses, sitting up to continue the story. "Heh! The little cub hasn't changed!"

Koda shakes his head, groaning as he stands up. "Hold on just a minute! Just one minute!" He cries, stomping around the place as if he owned it, shaking his head and trying to piece this puzzle together. "First of all, I don't remember Ken'ichi telling you about his family's death! He only told me and I'm sure I didn't tell you!" Koda looks up at the sky, then continues. "Second of all, how can you know all of this that has happened to him before you even met him? For that you have to be…" He stammers, slowly turning to Kamali. "You have to be…To be-" Koda chokes as his eyes are set on the most bizarre scene he has ever seen occurred to a bear other than Kenai's transformation.

Background music: Transformation by The Bulgarian Women's Choir

Kamali is smiling, a beautiful yellow/orange aura surrounding the bear, his body semi-transparent and his fur…Oh his fur, how it has changed! His fur has gone from a silver color to that of black, his mane, legs and arms a beautiful silver color, and his eyepatch, his right eyepatch just a blotch of white. Koda gasps, looking up as the Northern Lights draw closer to them, a ribbon of light touching Kamali's glowing body.

"You're…You're a…Spirit?" Koda asks, in awe of what he's seeing. Kamali just nods, giving off a familiar smile; Koda has seen that smile from Ken'ichi once. "You're…" Koda smiles a bit, the pieces coming together. "You're his brother…"

The spirit nods, and slowly he disappears into the Northern Lights, particles of light floating up to the lights and disappearing. Koda looks up in awe, what he has just experienced was another miracle of the Northern Lights, the earth's gift…

"You know…I wouldn't even be surprised if he does survive…"

Koda gasps, a spirit's words must be true! Eagered, Koda runs to the hill where he and Kamali reached the Salmon Run from, and as soon as he climbed to the top his face turns into a wide smile. "Ken'ichi!"

There, limping toward him is the tough little black bear cub, Ken'ichi. The knife still imbedded on his side, but the cub is still alive and kicking, he really is strong to make it there with a wound like that.

"Aaagh…Heheh…Thought you'd seen the last of me, eh?" Ken'ichi weakly speaks, almost passing out the moment he reaches Koda. But the good hearted cub holds Ken'ichi up, keeping him from dropping and eating dirt.

"I'm so glad you're alive…" He whispered, keeping his friend close in a hug as he closes his eyes. Suddenly, his ears perk up as he catches the sound of something falling to the ground. He opens his eyes and shifts them to the ground, the knife that was hurting Ken'ichi lies there on the ground, and the wound that endangered his friend's life is now healed, particles of light surrounding it. Koda smiles, looking up and seeing the Northern Lights closer than usual. He can feel the warmth of the spirits around him, and for a moment…Just for a moment he felt the warmth of his own mother embracing him, proud of what her son has grown into.

The Northern Lights return back to the sky, back to where they belong. Koda smiles and pulls out of his little hug with Ken'ichi, seeing the cub with a healthy, warm smile on his face. "They're happy." He expresses, giving off a grin.

Koda giggles. "C'mon buddy, let's go to the river!" He helps Ken'ichi in keeping his balance; the cub just suffered a mortal wound and just healing. "There's someone I want you to meet!"

Ken'ichi chuckles. "Oh boy! I get to meet the biggest fat head of the family!" He jokes, laughing.

Koda giggles. "Ha-ha-ha! You better watch it because I'm the healthy one!"

"Heheheh! Alright alright! Just shut your muzzle before I give you a scar to match with mine!" Ken'ichi said, sarcastic of his remark.

---------------------------------------------------

"Welcome to our family…"

THE END