Thank you for your review, teenchic2004! I'm sorry it is not as original as you would have hoped...Oh well...Glad you like it anyway. Here's another update! There are only two chapters left after this, so if anybody else is reading this, I sure would appreciate a review! I might write another (more original) fan fic if this one gets more reviews! Byez!
As the three grizzly bears resumed their journey, Kenai could not help but glance over at Kia. The white bear was being oddly quiet, more so than she usually was.
"Is something bothering you?" he asked her.
Kia looked at him. "Yes. Kenai..I think I better leave you and Koda..."
Kenai looked speechlessly at her in wide eyed surprise. "Wha! No-no- I-I-I mean..Why!"
Kia looked at him unhappily. "Ever since we started on this jounrey, I've done nothing but cause trouble for you two."
Kenai frowned. "What kind of trouble could you have caused?" he asked.
Kia sighed again, and looked away from Kenai. "Let's face it, Kenai...I'm bad luck! I almost got you and Koda killed by the hunter when we first met...Then there was also the times I slowed you down because I was thinking about my painful past..."
"Yeah, but-" Kenai started, but Kia did not let him have a chance to finish.
"Don't forget what just happened in the Valley of Fire, when that hunter caught up to us...and to top it all off, I just came this close to falling into the river, because I was stuck on that log!"
Kenai chuckled slightly. "Kia, those were all just accidents! They could have happened to any one of us!"
Kia looked at Kenai. "But they all happened to me! That's because I am unlucky! Listen Kenai, I really do like you a lot, but I think it'd be better, if we just go our seperate ways."
Kenai shook his head. "Not true! It's not- Hey, wait...did you just say you...like me?"
He smirked at Kia, for he knew this would change the conversation, and make her forget about leaving.
Kia blushed, and looked away from him. "No! Well, yes, but I meant, umm..." she trailed off, trying to think of any way to get out of this discussion.
Kenai looked her in the eye. "I think you meant something more than friendship when you said that.." he teased.
Kia blushed even harder. "Hu-uh! I only meant I like you, a-"
She didn't have a chance to finish what she was saying, as Koda let out a happy cry. "We made it! Hahaha! We're here! C'mon Kia!" he shouted, racing down to a river, filled with both bears and salmon.
Kenai started to follow the little bear, but stopped when he saw Kia still just standing there, staring down at the river. He ran over behind her, and gave her a nudge. "C'mon, Kia!"
Kia stumbled forward, but stopped quickly. "Oh..!..Kenai, I don't know...I think I'll just leave before I cause you anymore tr-"
Kenai gave her another push, causing her to stumbled forward again. Seeing how determined he was, Kia let out a defeated sigh.
"Alright..." she muttered quietly, just as Kenai pushed her again. She stumbled forward.
"Ok! Alright already! I'll come!" she shouted, walking away, while looking back at Kenai.
Since she wasn't watching where she was going, it was possible that she might fall into the river, and that she did. The white grizzly bear tripped and fell into the river with a big splash! Coming up for breath, she looked, and saw Kenai laughing down at her.
"That wasn't funny Kenai!" she shouted. "I'll show you funny!"
Kia climbed out of the river, and raced towards Kenai, still dripping wet. She jumped onto his back, and set Kenai and herself tumbling down a hill, and into the river. She stayed on top of him, until he kicked her off and swam up to surface. She followed him.
"Now that was funny!" she declared, climbing out of the water, and shaking herself dry. She looked down at Kenai, and burst out laughing. He was so wet, he looked like he had shrunk down to almost half his size!
The male brown grizzly rolled his eyes, though he was also laughing, and climbed out of the water. He shook himself dry, and sat down next to Kia.
As he did this, a large black grizzly bear approached him. "Hey there, Kenai! Glad to see you made it this year!" he said, high fiving Kenai with one of his paws.
Kenai laughed. "Yeah..." He looked over at Kia, who looked kinda shy. "Oh! Tug! This is my friend, Kia. It's her first time here at the Salmon Run."
Tug started to greet Kia, but then he stopped and stared at her. "A white furred bear...? No way!"
Kia blushed and looked away uncomfortably. "Umm..yeah...So what?" she mumbled.
Tug suddenly laughed. "Oh, excuse me, Kia! I didn't mean to embarrass you...it's just been years since the last time I saw a white grizzly bear!"
Kia looked at Tug in surprise. "You...you saw a white grizzly bear before..?"
Tug nodded. "Yep! She was expecting a cub."
Kia's jaw dropped. "Wh-what was she planning on naming the cub?" she asked.
"It's been awhile...I'd have to think." Tug scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Um...was it..Nika? No, no...that's not it. Uhh...Naki? Close...but no...Hmm.."
Kia swallowed hard. "Was it..Nakia?" She asked.
"Oh yeah! That was it! Nakia!" Tug said, nodding his head. "How'd you know that?"
Kia sighed. "Because..you don't know it yet, but you were just talking about my mother...I'm Nakia, the cub she was expecting."
Tug stared at her. "You are?"
Kia nodded. "Yep.."
Tug glanced around. "Well...umm...where's your mother now? Is she here?"
Kia looked at him, as if he had just slapped her. She got up from where she was sitting, and walked away, hanging her head low.
Tug looked at her in surprise, then turned to Kenai, who was also watching the white and brown grizzly. "What did I say?" he asked in shock.
Kenai looked sadly at Tug. "You asked about her mother, Tug." He paused before going on. "Her mother was killed when she was Koda's age.."
Tug looked at Kenai in shock. "You're kidding! Really?"
Kenai nodded. "Yeah. I'd better go and catch up with her, and make sure that she's alright." he said, getting up and walking off in the direction the white bear had gone.
Tug nodded. "Okay, and please tell her that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset her.."
"Don't worry, I will." Kenai said, looking back at Tug one last time before leaving.
Kia let out a miserable sigh, as she looked down at some salmon in the river. That black grizzly bear, Tug had just reminded her once again, of her mother. Just when she was having fun he had to ask her about where her mother was. She heard Kenai come and sit down by her, and turned to face him.
"Aww...Kia...Tug didn't mean to hurt your feelings...he didn't know about...you know.." he said, patting her back comfortingly.
Kia sighed. "I know, Kenai.."
She happened to glance in Koda's direction, and saw him sulking by a pile of freshly caught salmon. She got up and walked over to the cub, leaving Kenai by himself.
"Hey Koda, how's it goin'? Looks like you've already caught a bunch of salmon, huh?" she asked with a smile.
Koda sighed. "Yeah..." He was quiet for a moment. "Hey Kia...Why are you leaving? Is it because of all those pranks I played on you?"
Kia shook her head. "No, it's not that...I just..don't fit in here.."
Koda lifted his head quickly and looked at her. "That's it! That's why you're leavin'! Well then c'mon! I'll help you fit in!"
The cub raced over to his brother, before Kia could object.
"Hey Kenai! We're gonna give Kia a tour of the Salmon Run so she'll be able to feel like she fits in and change her mind about not staying here with us!" he said excitedly, never stopping to take a breath.
Kenai just stared at Koda, trying to figure out what exactly the cub had just said. He finally realized what Koda had been saying, and raised an eyebrow at Kia.
"Ok then. C'mon, Kia!" he said grinning.
Kia gulped and stepped backwards, away from the two bears. "Um...I don't think that is such a good idea...I don't fit in anywhere..!" she protested. "It would be better just to have me go on my way now."
"And let you walk into another trap without any help? I don't think so!" Kenai argued, laughing. He walked over to her, and gave her mane a slight pull, urging her to follow him and Koda. "C'mon!" he repeated.
Kia finally gave in, and followed behind Koda and Kenai, looking around at all the bears as they walked by. She somehow lost track of where she was going, and bumped into an older looking female bear.
"Uh...sorry!" she cried. Kia decided to try to have a conversation with this elderly bear. "So..uhh...what'd you do this Summer?" she asked.
The elderly bear frowned at her. "This year, I lost my dear husband, Edgar!"
"Stop telling everybody I'm dead!" a male voice yelled.
Kia's eyes widened in surprise, both at the elderly bear's reply, and at the voice that had just called out. "Uhh..really? I'm sorry...Err...how'd it happen?"
"I just lost him this Summer! My dear Edgar!" the bear cried out.
"I'm over here!" the voice yelled again.
Kia glanced around nervously. "Uh..huh...okay...uhh...I hnik I hear my friends calling me! Nice chattin' with ya'!" she stammered, before running back over to Kenai, who had been watching the whole thing.
He laughed. "I see you've met Mable. She's a little crazy.."
Kia sighed. "Really? I hadn't noticed." she said, obviously being sarcastic.
Kenai laughed, and the two grizzly bears ran to catch up with Koda. They finally spotted him on top of a large rock formation, next to the waterfall. The cub ran over to Kenai, and whispered something in his ear. Kenai nodded, laughing quietly to himself.
Kia heard him and asked him, "What's so funny Kenai?"
Kenai jumped and looked away. "Wha? Oh...nothing..." He looked at Koda, and the cub nodded. "Come over here, Kia." he said, leading her over to the waterfall. "I want to show you something."
Kia frowned. "Okay..." She followed Kenai over and looked down at the water. "What? I-I don't see anything.."
All of a sudden, Kenai got up on his hind legs and gave Kia a good shove, knocking her into the fast moving water! She shrieked and grabbed onto him and she fell in, pulling the larger bear in too! He laughed and held onto Kia as they went down the waterfall and splashed into the river. When they surfaced, Kia whacked Kenai's head with her paw, lightly, a smirk on her face.
Kenai laughed and teasingly tried to hit her back, but she dodged his swipes.
Just then, Koda fell down on top of Kenai's head, having gone down the waterfall too. Kenai shook his head, nocking the cub into the water. He surfaced, and spit a mouthful of water in his big brother's face. The male brown bear gave a teasing growl, and without warning, he lunged at Koda!
Kia laughed, following the two bears. Then something in the river caught her eye. It was a large red salmon. Kia licked her chops and forgetting about Kenai and Koda, she started to run after it.
Kenai had managed to pin Koda down when he suddenly noticed Kia had run off in pursuit of a salmon. "Here's my chance to impress Kia." he said quietly, running after her.
He waited until she had to stop running, to catch her breath, then he chased after the large red salmon.
He dove into the water, to catch it from underneath, but the salmon was too quick. It swam with incredible speed, and went down a large waterfall.
Kenai skidded to a halt, as he saw the long drop before him. "Not again..." he muttered as the salmon swam down toward the waterfall. "Oh well..." he said, glancing back at Kia, who was now staring at him curiously. "For Kia..." he said, and jumped into the waterfall. He grabbed the slippery salmon in his teeth, just as he flew up into the air.
Kia was down below, looking for him.. "Kenai? Where'd you go? Where are-"
At that moment, Kenai crashed down into the river, beside her. The startled white bear let out a gasp and fell backward.
Kenai glanced over at her, and smiled as he handed her the salmon. "Here, I got it for you." he said, smiling.
Kia returned the smile, blushing. "Aww...thanks Kenai." Without realizing it, she threw her arms around Kenai and gave him a great big hug.
They just stayed there, hugging, until Tug came over and announced, "Okay everybody! Story time! Gather 'round all you bears, and let's hear some fish tales!"
Kenai smiled at Kia. "Come on, Kia!" he said.
Kia nodded, and followed him over to shore, where a bunch of bears were gathered in a large circle. She smiled at Kenai. She was finally beginning to feel comfortable here...Like she belonged...