Chapter 10

"Hey, what's that?" Kia asked Kenai, looking over at a cave wall with some kind of drawing on it.

Kenai turned to see, and when he saw what she was looking at, his eyes grew wide. "Woah-woah-woah! Kia..Don't go over there!"

But the white and brown grizzly bear was already racing over to the wall. She skidded to a halt as the drawing on it became clear to her.

She sat down and looked up at the drawing in fear. It was of a hunter, using his spear to fight a grizzly bear. "A...a monster!" she choked.

As she stared up at the painting, she kept on seeing flashbacks- of her life...her mother...that horrible day of her death.

She did not see Kenai come and sit down beside her. He also looked up at the drawing for a moment, than glanced over at Kia. Her eyes were filled with fear..and he saw a hint of sadness on her face. She was undoubtedly thinking of her mother again. He looked at her sympathetically. "Kia...are you alright?"

Kia jumped, because she had not noticed Kenai here by her. She looked at him and nodded. "I'll be fine Kenai.." She looked at the drawing again, and hung her head.

Koda watched Kenai and Kia from a distance, a puzzled expression on his face. Why would one cave drawing upset Kia so badly? It was not like the hunter in it was real! He got a little closer, so he could hear what the two bears were saying.

Kia smiled at Kenai, even though she was sad. "I don't mean to get so upset Kenai...it's just..ever since I was a cub...Aww, you know.."

Kenai nodded, and placed a comforting paw around the white bear's shoulders.

"It must have to do with her mother..." Koda thought outloud.

"You talkin' to us, eh?" Tuke asked, as he and his brother Rutt grazed on a patch of grass nearby.

Koda shook his head. "No.."

"Okay, eh." The two moose went back to their grazing.

Koda walked over to Kenai, who now held Kia in a comforting hug. "Everything's gonna be okay..." he said softly.

"Uh...Kenai?" Koda said, "Shouldn't we get moving?"

Kenai shot an irritated look at Koda, but made no move to let go of Kia and walk on again. He just kept on hugging her, until a moment later, the white and brown bear gave what sounded like a nervous giggle, and pushed him off of her with one paw.

Kenai blinked and stared at her, his eyes asking her why she had pushed him away.

"Koda is right, Kenai." Kia said, looking uneasy as she got up and started walking. "Let's keep moving."

Koda followed after her, but stopped a few minutes after, when he saw that his brother had not gotten up to follow them.

Kia noticed this too, and called out. "You coming, Kenai?"

Kenai paused. "Yeah! Uh...could you come here for a minute? I..uh..there's something I have to tell you.."

Kia walked over to Kenai. "Okay..what is it?"

Koda stared at his brother. Was he about to tell Kia about his transformation! Kenai opened his mouth to speak, but then he clamped it shut again.

"Kenai? What is it?" Kia pressed.

Kenai flashed her a nervous, toothy smile. "Umm..never mind! Hehe...let's keep moving!" He hurriedly stood up and walked in front of her. Kia looked at him questioningly, but he shook his head. "It-it's nothing! C'mon, let's go!"

Kia rolled her eyes and started to walk behind the brown grizzly. "Whatever you say, Kenai."

She was soon joined by Koda. The cub climbed up onto her back. "Hey Kia..I was wondering..What were you like when you were my age?" he asked.

Kia turned to look at the cub as she walked. "I was...very playful and happy..until..you already know about my mother."

Koda nodded, ears drooping as he tried to imagine what a terrible day that must have been for Kia.

"After I lost my mother, I was on my own...my father had walked out on us, not long after I was born.." Kia said sadly.

A tear rolled down Koda's cheek. "This is a really sad story!" he said, his voice cracking a little.

Kia nodded. 'With nobody to care for me, I usually slept in trees, to avoid the hunter finding me...Then the next day, I would have to do anything you can think of, to avoid being killed. I climbed mountains, held my breath underwater, hid in ice caves, and probably anything else you can think of.."

When Kia had stopped speaking, Koda stared at her. "Wow! You were really brave when you were my age!" he exclaimed.

Kia shrugged modestly. "I guess so."

"I wish I was as brave as you!" the cub said, looking admiringly at the white bear.

Kia looked wordlessly at him, as she thought about what he had just said.

"Hey! Look!" Koda exclaimed a few minutes later, breaking the silence. He jumped off of Kia's back and ran over to a cliff, passing Kenai and the moose. "We're almost there!"

Kia grinned. "We are?" she asked as she walked over to Koda.

"Yeah! We just have to go through here...the Valley of Fire!" Koda said, pointing down below.

Kia looked down at where the cub was pointing. A large stretch of reddish land was down below, and there were geysers all over, exploding one after another.

Her jaw dropped and she looked down at Koda. "We have to go through here!" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Aww, c'mon! If you are as brave as you have told me, going through here should be easy for you!" the cub replied with a slight smirk.

Kia gulped. "Yeah, but-"

Kenai and the two moose had finally caught up with them at this point.

Rutt took a look at the valley below, and took a nervous, clumsy step backwards. "No way, eh! I'm not going in there!"

Tuke nodded in agreement. "Uh..yeah! We'll catch up with you bears some other way! Later, eh!" He and Rutt both ran off quickly.

Kenai stared after them, than turned his attention to Kia, who was still looking in shock at the Valley of Fire. "You ready, Kia?"

Kia gulped again. "Y-yeah, I g-guess."

"Then let's go!" Koda cheered, racing down the path toward the valley.

Kenai looked at Kia before following the cub. "Don't worry, Kia. You'll be alright. Trust me."

Kia looked nervously at the valley than to Kenai. "Okay..." she replied, following Kenai and Koda.

None of them had any clue of the danger that awaited them here..